Lignoceric Acid Research Articles

Storage duration increases oxidation products in peanut seeds

AbstractSeeds kept in long-term storage are essential for maintaining genetic resources of crops and other plant materials in seed banks and national germplasm systems. But seeds undergo chemical changes over time as part of the ageing process that result in reduced germination rates and seedling normalcy. For example, oilseed crops such as peanuts are particularly vulnerable to oxidation and rancidification due to their high oil content. To test the effect of storage time on seed oil in peanuts, we grew different accessions and harvested fresh seeds to compare the oil composition of new seeds with seeds aged in storage for varying lengths of time. Out of the nine fatty acids detected and measured by gas chromatography, five including oleic, gadoleic, behenic, lignoceric and cerotic acids differed significantly between new and old seeds. Additionally, old seeds accumulated up to four oxidation products together averaging about 1% of the total oil composition. The concentration of these oxidation products was positively correlated with the age of the seeds, increasing linearly up to more than 6% of the total in the oldest seeds. The presence and concentration of oxidation products measured using simple chromatography techniques can be used as an initial indication of quality and viability in older seed inventories stored in germplasm repositories.

ANTIMICROBIAL AND OTHER BIOACTIVE CONSTITUENTS OF Cannabis sativus ROOTS FROM PAKISTAN

Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.), a medicinal plant of family Cannabaceae, growing wildly in most of the rainfed areas of Punjab, Pakistan. In this study, phytochemical profile of methanolic extract of root was assessed through GC-MS analysis and various biologically active compounds were identified through literature survey. There were 14 compounds in the root extract. The most abundant compounds were γ-sitosterol (27.08%) and 9,12-octadecadienoic acid (Z,Z)-, methyl ester (24.09%) and hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester (21.81%). Other identified compounds were methyl stearate (5.51%), stigmasterol (5.12%), campesterol (4.19%), phenol, 2,2'-methylenebis[6-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-4-methyl-(2.52%), 11-octadecenoic acid, methyl ester (2.10%), squalene (1.89%), β-amyrin (1.88%), eicosanoic acid, methyl ester (0.85%), tetracosanoic acid, methyl ester (0.88%), dronabinol (1.02%) and 2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol (0.96%). Most of the identified compounds possess one or more biological activities viz. antitumor, antifungal, antibacterial, antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, and/or analgesic.

Low Circulating Concentrations of Very Long Chain Saturated Fatty Acids Are Associated with High Risk of Mortality in Kidney Transplant Recipients.

Kidney transplant recipients (KTR) are at increased risk of mortality, particularly from infectious diseases, due to lifelong immunosuppression. Although very long chain saturated fatty acids (VLSFA) have been identified as crucial for phagocytosis and clearance of infections, their association with mortality in immunocompromised patient groups has not been studied. In this prospective cohort study we included 680 outpatient KTR with a functional graft ≥1 year and 193 healthy controls. Plasma VLSFA (arachidonic acid (C20:0), behenic acid (C22:0) and lignoceric acid (C24:0)) were measured by gas chromatography coupled with a flame ionization detector. Cox regression analyses was used to prospectively study the associations of VLSFA with all-cause and cause-specific mortality. All studied VLSFA were significantly lower in KTR compared to healthy controls (all p < 0.001). During a median (interquartile range) follow-up of 5.6 (5.2–6.3) years, 146 (21%) KTR died, of which 41 (28%) died due to infectious diseases. In KTR, C22:0 was inversely associated with risk of all-cause mortality, with a HR (95% CI) per 1-SD-increment of 0.79 (0.64–0.99), independent of adjustment for potential confounders. All studied VLSFA were particularly strongly associated with mortality from infectious causes, with respective HRs for C20:0, C22:0 and C24:0 of 0.53 (0.35–0.82), 0.48 (0.30–0.75), and 0.51 (0.33–0.80), independent of potential confounders. VLSFA are inversely associated with infectious disease mortality in KTR after adjustment, including HDL-cholesterol. Further studies are needed to assess the effect of VLSFA-containing foods on the risk of infectious diseases in immunocompromised patient groups.

Relative humidity regimes modify epicuticular wax metabolism and fruit properties during Navelate orange conservation in an ABA-dependent manner

Relative humidity (RH) during conservation and the chemical composition of epicuticular wax layer are factors that determine fruit quality and weight loss. This study investigates the influence of RH on the epicuticular wax metabolism during citrus fruit storage, and how it is affected by abscisic acid (ABA). Low RH conditions increased alcohols and fatty acids abundance, mainly due to accumulation of docosanol and lignoceric and cerotic acids. Low RH also decreased terpenoids and nonacosane and hentriacontane contents, the most abundant alkanes. Consequently, the alkane/terpenoid ratio was decreased concomitantly with fruit weight loss and cuticle permeability increments. ABA treatment differently mediated wax compositional changes at high or low RH. At low RH, ABA attenuated the increase in fatty acids and enhanced the decrease in alcohols and the accumulation of terpenoids, mainly affecting lignoceric and cerotic acids, docosanol, α-amyrin, sitosterol, friedelin and friedelanone contents. These trends were inversed under high RH conditions.

Fatty Acid Analysis, Chemical Constituents, Biological Activity and Pesticide Residues Screening in Jordanian Propolis.

Propolis is a resinous natural product collected by honeybees (Apis mellifera and others) from tree exudates that has been widely used in folk medicine. The present study was carried out to investigate the fatty acid composition, chemical constituents, antioxidant, and xanthine oxidase (XO) inhibitory activity of Jordanian propolis, collected from Al-Ghour, Jordan. The hexane extract of Jordanian propolis contained different fatty acids, which are reported for the first time by using GC-FID. The HPLC was carried out to identify important chemical constituents such as fatty acids, polyphenols and α-tocopherol. The antioxidant and xanthine oxidase inhibitory activities were also monitored. The major fatty acid identified were palmitic acid (44.6%), oleic acid (18:1∆9cis, 24.6%), arachidic acid (7.4%), stearic acid (5.4%), linoleic acid (18:2∆9–12cis, 3.1%), caprylic acid (2.9%), lignoceric acid (2.6%), cis-11,14-eicosaldienoic acid (20:2∆11–14cis, 2.4%), palmitoleic acid (1.5%), cis-11-eicosenoic acid (1.2%), α–linolenic acid (18:3∆9–12–15cis, 1.1%), cis-13,16-docosadienoic acid (22:2∆13–16cis, 1.0%), along with other fatty acids. The major chemical constituents identified using gradient HPLC-PDA analysis were pinocembrin (2.82%), chrysin (1.83%), luteolin-7-O-glucoside (1.23%), caffeic acid (1.12%), caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE, 0.79%), apigenin (0.54%), galangin (0.46%), and luteolin (0.30%); while the minor constituents were hesperidin, quercetin, rutin, and vanillic acid. The percentage of α-tocopherol was 2.01 µg/g of the lipid fraction of propolis. Antioxidant properties of the extracts were determined via DPPH radical scavenging. The DPPH radical scavenging activities (IC50) of different extracts ranged from 6.13 to 60.5 µg/mL compared to ascorbic acid (1.21 µg/mL). The xanthine oxidase inhibition (IC50) ranged from 75.11 to 250.74 µg/mL compared to allopurinol (0.38 µg/mL). The results indicate that the various flavonoids, phenolic compounds, α-tocopherol, and other constituents which are present in propolis are responsible for the antioxidant and xanthine oxidation inhibition activity. To evaluate the safety studies of propolis, the pesticide residues were also monitored by LC-MS-MS 4500 Q-Trap. Trace amounts of pesticide residue (ng/mL) were detected in the samples, which are far below the permissible limit as per international guidelines.

Assessment of Plasma Phospholipid Very-Long-Chain Saturated Fatty Acid Levels and Healthy Aging

Identifying novel factors that protect against age-related diseases and promote healthy aging is critical to public health. Higher levels of circulating very-long-chain saturated fatty acids (VLSFAs) are integrated biomarkers of diet and metabolism shown to have beneficial associations in cardiovascular disease and total mortality, but whether they are associated with overall healthy aging is unknown. To examine the association of circulating levels of 3 VLSFAs with unhealthy aging events, including incident chronic disease (cardiovascular disease, cancer, lung disease or severe kidney disease), physical dysfunction, and cognitive decline. This cohort study used 1992 to 2014 data from the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS). The CHS is a multicenter, population-based study of cardiovascular disease among older adults. Among the 4559 CHS participants with available fatty acid data, 1879 participants who had an age-related event before their first measurement were excluded. Data analysis was performed in 2020. Plasma phospholipid VLSFA levels were measured by thin-layer chromatography followed by gas chromatography. The main outcome was the hazard ratio (HR) of an incident unhealthy aging event associated with serial measures of plasma arachidic acid, behenic acid, and lignoceric acid. Among the 2680 study participants (976 men [36.4%]), the mean (SD) age was 74.7 (4.8) years old at entry. During a median (interquartile range) of 6.4 (2.9-12.9) years of follow-up, 2484 participants experienced an unhealthy event. Compared with the lowest quintile, levels of behenic acid in the highest quintile of the fatty acid distribution were associated with 15% lower risk of an unhealthy event (HR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.74-0.97; P for trend = .01) after adjustment for demographic characteristics, lifestyle factors, and clinical conditions. In analogous comparisons, levels of lignoceric acid were similarly associated with 16% lower risk of an unhealthy event (HR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.73-0.95; P for trend = .001). These findings suggest that higher levels of circulating behenic acid and lignoceric acid are associated with lower risk of unhealthy aging events. These results highlight the need to explore determinants of circulating VLSFAs for potential novel efforts to promote healthy aging.

The associations between individual plasma SFAs, serine palmitoyl-transferase long-chain base subunit 3 gene rs680379 polymorphism, and type 2 diabetes among Chinese adults

Several individual studies have shown that circulating levels of odd-chain SFAs and very-long-chain SFAs (VLSFAs) may have beneficial effects, but the results are mixed. While the dietary and metabolic factors that may influence VLSFAs are not well-known, a previous study observed associations of VLSFA concentrations with variants in serine palmitoyl-transferase long-chain base subunit 3 (SPTLC3) gene. We investigated the associations of individual plasma SFAs and SPTLC3 gene rs680379 polymorphism with metabolic risk factors and type 2 diabetes (T2D). We measured plasma SFAs using gas chromatography among 898 T2D cases and 1618 matched controls, and genotyped the SPTLC3 gene rs680379 polymorphism using the MassArray System among 1178 T2D cases and 1907 matched controls. Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate ORs and 95% CIs. We found that plasma odd-chain SFAs and VLSFAs were correlated with favorable blood lipids and insulin resistance marker profiles. After multivariable adjustment, pentadecanoic acid (15:0) was inversely associated with the odds of T2D (OR per 1 SD difference: 0.63; 95% CI: 0.57, 0.70), as were measurements of 3 individual VLSFAs [arachidic acid (20:0), behenic acid (22:0), and lignoceric acid (24:0)], with ORs ranging from 0.60 to 0.72 (95% CIs ranging between 0.52 and 0.79). The associations between 3 individual VLSFAs and T2D were attenuated after further adjustment for triglycerides. Meanwhile, compared with the rs680379 GG genotype carriers, the ORs of T2D for the GA and AA genotype carriers were 0.81 (95% CI: 0.68-0.97) and 0.76 (95% CI: 0.61-0.96), respectively. Plasma 15:0 and VLSFAs were inversely associated with T2D. Meanwhile, compared with the rs680379 GG genotype carriers, subjects with GA and AA genotypes were associated with decreased odds of T2D. More investigations are warranted to confirm our findings.

Maternal and Cord Blood Saturated Fatty Acid Level and Infant Adiposity

This study aimed to assess SFAs profiles in the maternal and cord blood, and the relationship of both SFAs levels with infant adiposity. As many as 99 mothers with singleton pregnancy and pre-pregnancy BMI .18.5 agreed to join the research and completed the data collection process. Maternal and cord blood erythrocyte SFAs profile was analyzed using Gas Chromatography-Flame Ionized Detector. Infant birth weight was measured at birth, while infant skinfolds were at 5.7 days postpartum. We used Aris et al. (2013) equation to assess the infant fat mass. The average maternal age was 29.62}5.84 years old, while the pre-pregnancy BMI was 22.87}3.90 kg/m2. Infant birth weight was 3168.83}341.64 g, and fat mass was 9.39}3.52 %. Maternal total SFAs and palmitic acid (C16:0) concentration were higher than cord blood, while lignoceric acid (C24:0) was lower (p<0.05). Increased maternal caproic (C6:0), capric (C10:0), and lauric acids (C12:0) were associated with higher infant adiposity (p<0.05). Total SFAs, palmitic (C16:0), stearic (C18:0), and behenic acids (C22:0) in cord blood were negatively associated with infant adiposity (p<0.05). Elevated lauric (C12:0) and myristic (C14:0) acids in cord blood were associated with greater adiposity. In conclusion, we found a different SFAs profile between maternal blood during the third trimester of pregnancy and cord blood. Increased maternal caproic, capric, and lauric acids as well as cord bloodfs lauric and palmitic acids contribute to greater infant adiposity.

Lupane-type triterpenoids from Acacia dealbata bark extracted by different methods

The management of invasive species generates large amounts of biomass which end up in low value applications. However, these residues can potentially contain compounds with important bioactive properties. In this study the bark of Acacia dealbata Link (Fabaceae) was extracted by different methods targeting triterpenoids content and bulk product. Batch solid-liquid extraction (SLE-batch), Soxhlet extraction (n-hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate and ethanol) and supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) (CO2 with/without ethanol or ethyl acetate) were performed under different pressure and/or temperature conditions in order to assess total extraction yield (ηTotal), extract concentrations and yields of lupenyl acetate and lupenone. The extracts composition was analysed by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectroscopy. Summarily: (i) the highest values of ηTotal were achieved with ethanol by both Soxhlet and SLE-batch, and by SFE at 300 bar, 80 ⁰C with 5 wt.% ethanol; (ii) the highest concentrations of triterpenoids were obtained with n-hexane by Soxhlet and SLE-batch and, and by SFE at 200 bar, 40 °C with 5 wt.% ethyl acetate; (iii) the maximum individual yields were achieved with ethanol by both Soxhlet and SLE-batch, and by SFE at 200 bar, 40 °C with 5 wt.% ethyl acetate. The solubilities of lupenyl acetate, lupenone, tetracosanoic acid and hexacosan-1-ol in the various solvents were theoretically estimated, providing important insights for the interpretation of the experimental results.

Physico-chemical characterization, thermal decomposition and kinetic modeling of Digitaria sanguinalis under nitrogen and air environments

The study undertook the thermal degradation of a tropical grass species, Digitaria sanguinalis, in nitrogen (pyrolysis) and air (combustion) atmospheres through thermogravimetric analysis as well as comparative kinetic investigation. The differential (Friedman) and integral (Flynn-Wall-Ozawa and Straink) isoconversional methods in conjunction with the Coats-Redfern method were utilized. This was to obtain the kinetic parameters and also predict the probable reaction mechanisms involved in the decomposition process. Before the thermal and kinetic investigations, the grass was analyzed for its physical, chemical, and structural properties utilizing diverse wet-chemistry and spectroscopic techniques. This research attempt is part of a larger project designed to investigate a couple of local grass species, which are invasive by nature, as potential energy crops for pyrolytic and combustion applications. The grass had a fixed carbon content of 17.85% and a calorific value of 13.7 MJ kg−1. The fatty acids detected were from C12 (lauric acid) to C24 (lignoceric acid), with the three most abundant being palmitic (94 mg/g extract), linoleic (27 mg/g extract), and oleic (19 mg/g extract) acids. The average residual weight in air (25.3%) was relatively less than in nitrogen (38.7%), affirming the higher rate of reaction in an oxidative process (combustion). The activation energy profiles in both atmospheres were markedly different, as shown by the Flynn-Wall-Ozawa technique for a conversion ratio of 0.1–0.2 (nitrogen, 149 kJ/mol; air, 177 kJ/mol) and 0.65–0.8 (nitrogen, 366 kJ/mol; air, 170 kJ/mol). Of all the models tested, the model-fitting technique indicates that the chemical reaction and diffusional models play predominant roles in the thermal decomposition of the grass under investigation. The thermal degradation of Digitaria sanguinalis proceeded mainly as complex multi-step reaction mechanisms. Aside from the potential suitability of the grass species for bioenergy applications and biofuels production, it also demonstrated huge capability for biochemical extraction. Future work will incorporate the kinetic data for the associated thermochemical processes development, and the design and optimization of reactors/combustors.

Increased serum cholesterol and long-chain fatty acid levels are associated with the efficacy of nivolumab in patients with non-small cell lung cancer

BackgroundLipids have immunomodulatory functions and the potential to affect cancer immunity.MethodsThe associations of pretreatment serum cholesterol and long-chain fatty acids with the objective response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) were evaluated in 148 patients with non-small cell lung cancer who received nivolumab.ResultsWhen each lipid was separately evaluated, increased low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol (P < 0.001), high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol (P = 0.014), total cholesterol (P = 0.007), lauric acid (P = 0.015), myristic acid (P = 0.022), myristoleic acid (P = 0.035), stearic acid (P = 0.028), linoleic acid (P = 0.005), arachidic acid (P = 0.027), eicosadienoic acid (P = 0.017), dihomo-γ-linolenic acid (P = 0.036), and behenic acid levels (P = 0.032) were associated with longer PFS independent of programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression. Meanwhile, increased LDL-cholesterol (P < 0.001), HDL-cholesterol (P = 0.009), total cholesterol (P = 0.036), linoleic acid (P = 0.014), and lignoceric acid levels (P = 0.028) were associated with longer OS independent of PD-L1 expression. When multiple lipids were evaluated simultaneously, LDL-cholesterol (P = 0.003), HDL-cholesterol (P = 0.036), and lauric acid (P = 0.036) were independently predictive of PFS, and LDL-cholesterol (P = 0.008) and HDL-cholesterol (P = 0.031) were predictive of OS. ORR was not associated with any serum lipid.ConclusionsBased on the association of prolonged survival in patients with increased serum cholesterol and long-chain fatty acid levels, serum lipid levels may be useful for predicting the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy.

Physical and Chemical Characteristics of Teak (Tectona Grandis) Leaves as Food Packaging Material

Teak (Tectona grandis) leaves is commonly used as the packaging material of traditional food in Indonesia. This study aimed to determine the physical and chemical characteristics of teak leaves with various maturation stages to obtain information about the potency of teak leaves as active packaging material. The physical characteristics analysis including leaf color, thickness, and tensile strength, while chemical characteristics were moisture, fat content, fatty acid, and volatile profile. The results showed that the color, thickness, tensile strength, moisture, and fat content, were light green, 0.306±0.024 mm, 0.22±0.114 MPa, 74.93%, and 2.52% respectively for young teak leaves; while the mature has darker green, 0.388±0.001 mm, 0.36±0.163 MPa, 73.05%, and 2.54% respectively. The fatty acid profiles showed that young teak leaves contained 5 types of fatty acids, dominated by lignoceric acid; while mature teak leaves contained 9 types of fatty acids dominated by tricosanoic acid. The volatile components of young teak leaves e.g. acid and ester compounds, while the mature was dominated by acid and ether compounds. From the results, it is suggested that the use of teak leaves as active food packaging material can be scientifically justified.

Harvest Season Significantly Influences the Fatty Acid Composition of Bee Pollen.

Simple SummaryHarvesting pollen loads collected from a specific botanical origin is a complicated process that takes time and effort. Therefore, we aimed to determine the optimal season for harvesting pollen loads rich in essential fatty acids (EFAs) and unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs) from the Al-Ahsa Oasis in eastern Saudi Arabia. Pollen loads were collected throughout one year, and the tested samples were selected during the top collecting period in each season. Lipids and fatty acid composition were determined. The highest values of lipids concentration, linolenic acid (C18:3), stearic acid (C18:0), linoleic acid (C18:2), arachidic acid (C20:0) concentrations, and EFAs were obtained from bee pollen harvested during autumn. The maximum values (%) of oleic acid (C18:1), palmitic acid (C16:0), UFAs, and the UFA/saturated fatty acid (SFA) ratio were found in bee pollen harvested during summer. Bee pollen harvested during spring ranked second in its oleic, palmitic, linolenic, stearic, arachidic, behenic, and lignoceric acid concentrations and for EFAs, UFAs, and the UFA/SFA ratio. It was concluded that the FA composition of bee pollen varied among the harvest seasons. We recommend harvesting pollen loads during spring and summer to feed honeybee colonies during periods of scarcity and for use as a healthy, nutritious food for humans.Seasonal variations in the fatty acid (FA) compositions of pollen loads collected from the Al-Ahsa Oasis in eastern Saudi Arabia throughout one year were determined to identify the optimal season for harvesting bee pollen rich in essential fatty acids (EFAs) and unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs). The highest values (%) of lipids, linolenic acid (C18:3), stearic acid (C18:0), linoleic acid (C18:2), arachidic acid (C20:0), the sum of the C18:0, C18:1, C18:2, and C18:3 concentrations, and EFAs were obtained from bee pollen harvested during autumn. The maximum values (%) of oleic acid (C18:1), palmitic acid (C16:0), UFAs, and the UFA/saturated fatty acid (SFA) ratio were found in bee pollen harvested during summer. The highest concentrations (%) of behenic acid (C22:0), lignoceric acid (C24:0), and SFAs were found in bee pollen harvested during winter. Bee pollen harvested during spring ranked second in its oleic, palmitic, linolenic, stearic, arachidic, behenic, and lignoceric acid concentrations and for EFAs, UFAs, and the UFA/SFA ratio. The lowest SFA concentration was found in bee pollen harvested during summer. Oleic, palmitic, and linolenic acids were the most predominant FAs found in bee pollen. It was concluded that the FA composition of bee pollen varied among the harvest seasons due to the influence of the dominant botanical origins. We recommend harvesting pollen loads during spring and summer to feed honeybee colonies during periods of scarcity and for use as a healthy, nutritious food for humans.

Effects of irrigation intervals and irrigation levels on oil content and fatty acid composition of peanut cultivars

Oil content and fatty acid composition are the most significant quality criteria of peanuts (Arachis hypogaea L.), and these parameters is greatly influenced by irrigation and fertilization practices. A study was conducted to investigate the effects of irrigation intervals and irrigation levels on oil content and fatty acid composition of peanuts, under sandy soil conditions in two consecutive years, using ‘Halisbey’, ‘NC-7’, and ‘Sultan’ peanut cultivars, commonly grown in Turkey. Irrigation levels were arranged based on total evaporation from Class-A pan, and irrigations were applied through drip lines. Irrigation intervals were set as two and four days, and irrigation levels were set as 50% (I50), 75% (I75), 100% (I100) and 125% (I125) of Class-A pan evaporations. Oil content, unsaturated fatty acids (oleic and linoleic acids), and saturated fatty acids (palmitic, myristic, arachidic, behenic and lignoceric acids) were determined. For oil content, treatments were identified as the most appropriate irrigation for a two-day irrigation interval of all cultivars, I100 for four-day irrigation interval of ‘Halisbey’ and ‘Sultan’ cultivars and I75 for four-day irrigation interval of ‘NC-7’ cultivar. Oleic, linoleic, and palmitic acids were the major fatty acids of peanuts. Cultivars exhibited different variations in these fatty acids based on irrigation intervals and irrigation levels. In general, oleic acid contents decreased, but linoleic and palmitic acid contents increased with increasing irrigation levels. The greatest oleic acid contents were obtained from two and four-day irrigation intervals of I50 treatments in ‘Halisbey’ and ‘NC-7’ cultivars and from two and four-day irrigation intervals of I75 treatments of the second year in ‘Sultan’ cultivar. Present findings revealed that for quality peanut production, both irrigation intervals and irrigation levels should be taken into consideration.

Phytochemical screening by using GC-MS and FTIR spectrum analysis of fixed oil from Sudanese Ziziphus spina Christi seeds

The current trend of using natural products from the plants, either as pure constituents or as standardized extracts, provides numerous opportunities for novel drugs, precisely the wild edible plants. Ziziphus spina Christi plant is considered as one of the most important therapeutic and nutritional wild edible plants because of containing bioactive compounds. Therefore, this study was carried out to investigate the petroleum ether Ziziphus spina Christi seed oil via using two analytical methods: GC-MS, and FTIR spectrometer. The seed oil was extracted by using Soxhlet apparatus. The GC-MS analysis indicated the presence of seventeen fatty acids, eight of them are majors constituents, namely 7-Octadecenoic acid, methyl ester [28.11%], Hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester [19.63%], Methyl stearate [16.97%], Eicosanoic acid, methyl ester [10.76%], Docosanoic acid, methyl ester [8.60%], cis-11-Eicosenoic acid, methyl ester [4.79%], Tetracosanoic acid, methyl ester [2.62%], and Squalene [2.20%]. On the other hand, the FTIR spectrum showed the presence of alcohols, phenols, alkanes, alkenes, carbonyls and Carboxylic acids and aromatic compounds in the extracts with different peak types and correspondences. The results of GC-MS and FTIR analysis showed the availability of bioactive compounds in the plant extracts, which could be responsible of the source of pharmaceutical value of Ziziphus spina Christi plant.

Production of Renewable Lipids by the Diatom Amphora copulata

The asymmetric biraphid pennate diatom Amphora copulata, isolated from tropical coastal waters (South China Sea, Malaysia), was cultured for renewable production of lipids (oils) in a medium comprised of inorganic nutrients dissolved in dilute palm oil mill effluent (POME). Optimal levels of nitrate, phosphate, and silicate were identified for maximizing the biomass concentration in batch cultures conducted at 25 ± 2 °C under an irradiance of 130 µmol m−2 s−1 with a 16 h/8 h light-dark cycle. The maximum lipid content in the biomass harvested after 15-days was 39.5 ± 4.5% by dry weight in a POME-based medium with optimal levels of nitrate, phosphate, and silicate. Under the optimized conditions the maximum dry mass concentration of the diatom was 660 mg L−1 on day 12, declining to ~650 mg L−1 on day 15. For the 15-day batch operation, the final average productivities of the biomass and the lipids were 43.3 ± 4.5 mg L−1 d−1 and 17.1 ± 0.3 mg L−1 d−1, respectively. The fatty acids in the diatom lipids were found to be (%, w/w of total lipids): palmitoleic acid (39.8%), palmitic acid (31.9%), myristic acid (6.8%), oleic acid (4.7%), stearic acid (4.5%), arachidonic acid (3.9%), eicosapentaenoic acid (3.6%), linoleic acid (2.5%), tetracosanoic acid (1.7%), and linolenic acid (0.6%).

Serum non-esterified fatty acid levels and hip fracture risk: The Cardiovascular Health Study

Serum non-esterified fatty acids (NEFAs) are bioactive metabolic intermediates that can be taken up by bone tissue. Their associations with hip fracture risk have not been previously examined. Thirty-five individual NEFAs in five classes (saturated [SFA], mono-un-saturated [MUFA], poly-unsaturated n-6 and n-3 [PUFA], and trans-FA) were measured in Cardiovascular Health Study participants (n = 2139, mean age 77.8 years) without known diabetes. The multivariable associations of NEFA levels with hip fracture risk were evaluated in Cox hazards models. We documented 303 incident hip fractures during 11.1 years of follow-up. Among the five NEFA classes, total trans FA levels were positively associated with higher hip fracture risk (HR 1.17 [95% CI, 1.04, 1.31; p = 0.01] per one standard deviation higher level). The SFA lignoceric acid (24:0) was positively associated with higher risk (HR 1.09 [1.04, 1.1]; p < 0.001), while behenic (22:0) and docosatetraenoic (22:4 n6) acids were associated with lower risk (HR 0.76 [0.61, 0.94]; p = 0.01; 0.84 [0.70, 1.00]; p = 0.05, respectively). Total plasma trans NEFA levels are related to hip fracture risk, suggesting an unrecognized benefit of their systematic removal from food. Novel associations of individual NEFAs with hip fracture risk require confirmation in other cohort studies.

Novel hydrocarbon-utilizing soil mycobacteria synthesize unique mycocerosic acids at a Sicilian everlasting fire

Abstract. Soil bacteria rank among the most diverse groups of organisms on Earth and actively impact global processes of carbon cycling, especially in the emission of greenhouse gases like methane, CO2 and higher gaseous hydrocarbons. An abundant group of soil bacteria are the mycobacteria, which colonize various terrestrial, marine and anthropogenic environments due to their impermeable cell envelope that contains remarkable lipids. These bacteria have been found to be highly abundant at petroleum and gas seep areas, where they might utilize the released hydrocarbons. However, the function and the lipid biomarker inventory of these soil mycobacteria are poorly studied. Here, soils from the Fuoco di Censo seep, an everlasting fire (gas seep) in Sicily, Italy, were investigated for the presence of mycobacteria via 16S rRNA gene sequencing and fatty acid profiling. The soils contained high relative abundances (up to 34 % of reads assigned) of mycobacteria, phylogenetically close to the Mycobacterium simiae complex and more distant from the well-studied M. tuberculosis and hydrocarbon-utilizing M. paraffinicum. The soils showed decreasing abundances of mycocerosic acids (MAs), fatty acids unique for mycobacteria, with increasing distance from the seep. The major MAs at this seep were tentatively identified as 2,4,6,8-tetramethyl tetracosanoic acid and 2,4,6,8,10-pentamethyl hexacosanoic acid. Unusual MAs with mid-chain methyl branches at positions C-12 and C-16 (i.e., 2,12-dimethyl eicosanoic acid and 2,4,6,8,16-pentamethyl tetracosanoic acid) were also present. The molecular structures of the Fuoco di Censo MAs are different from those of the well-studied mycobacteria like M. tuberculosis or M. bovis and have relatively δ13C-depleted values (−38 ‰ to −48 ‰), suggesting a direct or indirect utilization of the released seep gases like methane or ethane. The structurally unique MAs in combination with their depleted δ13C values identified at the Fuoco di Censo seep offer a new tool to study the role of soil mycobacteria as hydrocarbon gas consumers in the carbon cycle.

CO2-wettability reversal of cap-rock by alumina nanofluid: Implications for CO2 geo-storage

The usage of nanofluids is vast in different applications of nano-energy. These minute nanoparticles can be used to alter the hydrophobicity into hydrophilicity for CO2-brine-mineral systems in the presence of organic acids. Nonetheless, the literature lacks the information for the behavior of nanoparticles and its associated concentrations in the presence of organic acids at the reservoir (high temperature and high pressure) conditions.In this study, we have investigated that how different alkyl chain organic acids impact the wettability of mica muscovite for different ageing times (7 days and one year) and how this impact can be reversed by nanofluid priming at different concentrations. To do that, we have used different organic acids with different alkyl chain lengths (hexanoic acid C6, lauric acid C12, stearic acid C18, and lignoceric acid C24) at 10−2 mol/L. We have also used different Al2O3 nanoparticle suspensions (0.05 wt%, 0.1 wt%, 0.25 wt% and 0.75 wt%) in deionized water.When mica substrates were exposed to organic acids for a longer ageing time of 1 year, it has lost its water-wetness rapidly at maximum. Whereas this effect was optimally reduced by 0.25 wt% of alumina nano-formulation and mechanical irreversible adsorption of alumina nanoparticles was noted on mica substrates. This reversal of wettability may raise the containment security and CO2 structural trapping potential.

Chemical Constituents and Biological Activities of the Aerial Parts of Cyperus rotundus (Cypereaceae)

The present study reports the chemical constituents, antioxidant, anticonvulsant and α-amylase activities of the aerial part of Cyperus rotundus collected in Cameroon. Phytochemical study leads to the isolation of six known compounds alongwith lupeol (1), stigmasterol (2), tetracosanoic acid (3), a mixture of β-sitosterol (4a) and stigmasterol (4b), ursolic acid (5) and saikogenin F (6). Compounds 3, 5 and 6 were isolated for the first time from this species. The structures of these compounds were determined using spectroscopic analysis including 1D and 2D NMR, mass spectrometry and comparison with the literature data. Biological activities carried out on the extracts showed that the methanol extract exhibited good antiradical scavenging activity against DPPH radical (IC50 = 2.873 μg/mL) and very good ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) (IC50 = 7.535 μg/mL). It appeared that the mixture of hexane and ethyl acetate extract at the dose 100 mg/kg protected 66% of mice against convulsion induced by the pentylenetetrazol and 50% of protection when using picrotoxin at the same dose. All the extracts and compounds from this plant showed no inhibition against α-amylase related to antidiabetic activity.