Stearic Research Articles

Fatty acid composition and sensory properties as descriptors of differentiation of specialty coffees based on spontaneous and induced processing methods

The composition of fatty acids (FA) and sensory properties of specialty coffees from Guatemala, Nicaragua, Peru, Ethiopia, Kenya, Burundi, and Rwanda processed by spontaneous methods (i.e., natural, washed, and honey) and induced methods (i.e., anaerobic fermentation and carbonic maceration) were determined. Palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, linolenic, and arachidic acids and 10 important attributes of the coffee such as fragrance/aroma, flavour, aftertaste, acidity, body, balance, overall, uniformity, clean cup, sweetness, and total score were evaluated. The FA composition and sensory scores following the Specialty Coffee American Association protocols were used to differentiate 19 coffee samples based on the processing method. Principal component analysis (PCA) effectively differentiated coffees processed by spontaneous methods from those processed by induced methods. Notably, Peruvian coffee processed by carbonic maceration exhibited the highest linoleic acid content, while the same coffee processed naturally showed the highest palmitic acid content. All coffee samples scored 10 points for uniformity, clean cup, and sweetness. The highest total scores for the spontaneous processing methods were 88.75 (washed Kenyan) and 87.75 (washed Ethiopian) but ranged from 82.75 to 85.00 for the other coffees. For the best specialty coffees processed by induced methods, scores ranged from 87.25 to 88.00 in seven out of nine coffees. Coffees from different geographical areas processed with innovative methods, such as anaerobic fermentation, carbonic maceration, and high-scoring spontaneously processed coffees, were among the highest qualities.

Biochar-Bio-Cu composite superhydrophobic membrane for efficient oil-water separation

This manuscript presents the development of a superhydrophobic textile fabric (SF) for effective oil–water (O/W) separation. A biochar was synthesized by pyrolysis of banana leaves. The bio-Cu nanoparticles (bio-Cu NPs) were synthesized from grape seed extract. The biochar and bio-Cu NPs were used to enhance the surface roughness of the textile fabric. The low-cost, eco-friendly stearic acid was used as a low surface energy material. The SF achieves a water sliding angle of 1 degree and apparent contact angle of 159 degrees, indicating its superhydrophobic nature. The absorption capacity toward silicone oil (SO), toluene, and crude oil (CO) is measured at 102.2 g/g, 98.5 g/g, and 91.0 g/g, respectively, with minimal decrease after ten usage cycles. The SF exhibits outstanding O/W separation efficiencies for CO (99.6%), toluene (98.9%), and SO (97.5%) over ten cycles. Mechanical stability assessments reveal superhydrophobicity retention till a length of abrasion equal to 650 mm. Chemical stability investigations demonstrate SF’s resilience across a pH range of 1–13 over 2 h of immersion. Furthermore, the SF shows a good flux rate toward the oils used. These findings establish a promising advancement in environmental remediation and O/W separation.

In vitro versus cryo-induced capacitation of bovine spermatozoa, part 3: Compositional and molecular changes to the plasma membrane

The aim of this study was to assess the level of membrane cryodamage through the levels of selected capacitation and apoptosis-associated proteins, together with compositional membrane changes in capacitated (CAP), cryopreserved (CRYO) and non-capacitated bovine spermatozoa (CRTL). Sperm kinetic parameters were analyzed by the computer assisted sperm analysis (CASA) while the capacitation patterns were examined with the chlortetracycline (CTC) assay. In the case of DNA integrity, sperm chromatin structure assay and aniline blue staining were used. For the quantification of fatty acid content gas chromatography was performed. Using Western blotting the expression of capacitation (protein kinase C – PKC; phospholipases A2 and Cζ – PLA2, PLCζ; soluble adenylyl cyclase 10 – sAC10) and apoptosis-associated (apoptosis regulator Bax; B-cell lymphoma 2 – Bcl-2; caspase 3) proteins were evaluated. Data indicate a significant decline (p < 0.0001) of sperm kinetic parameters and higher occurrence (p < 0.0001) of DNA fragmentation in the CRYO group. CTC assay revealed a significant increase of acrosome-reacted spermatozoa in the CRYO group when compared to others. Compositional changes in the sperm membrane were visible as a notable decline of docosahexaenoic acid (p < 0.0001) associated with a significant decrease of membrane cholesterol (p < 0.05) and proteins (p < 0.0001) in the CRYO group while the amount of palmitic, stearic, oleic, and linoleic acid increased (p < 0.0001) significantly. Protein expression of all capacitation-associated proteins (PKC, PLA2, PLCζ, sAC10) was significantly down-regulated (p < 0.001; p < 0.0001) in the CRYO group. Relative quantification of apoptosis-associated proteins revealed increased Bax and decreased Bcl-2 levels in the CRYO group, except for caspase-3, which remained without significant changes.

Preventive effects of dill oil on potassium bromated-induced oxidative DNA damage in garlic root tips

In this study, the potential antimutagenic/cytoprotective effect of the oil extract (2.5µg/ml) from Anethum graveolens L. (Dill) on oxidative DNA damage was tested. The experiments were carried out to inhibit mutagenicity induced by potassium bromated (KBrO3-9g/l) in Allium assay using mitotic activities and nuclear DNA contents. Result showed a clear reduction in radical length in all KBrO3-treated groups compared to control plants. Mitotic activity, measured by mitotic index (MI) and mitotic stages, were significantly decreased in meristematic cells after KBrO3 application, The results showed that mitotic index (MI) was decreased to reach about 0.8 at 24 hrs compared with 23.9% in untreated plants. The analysis of potential cyto and genoprotective of dill extract on nuclear DNA contents showed a statistically significant increase in the nuclear DNA content compared to KBrO3-treated roots was observed. Clearly, dill oil showed highly performance in protecting the mitotic cells against mutagenic KBrO3 effects by increasing the MI and decreasing the abnormal chromosomes. Also, the percentage of damage reduction was observed in the pre- (28.9, 57.9 and 46.4 %), simultaneous (53.0, 70.6 and 35.7 %) and post- (37.3, 61.8 and 50 %) treatment. The results of the qualitative study showed that this dill extracts were rich in chemical compounds belonging to several phytochemical classes. GC-MS analysis detected 29 chemical compounds with different concentrations. The predominant ones were Octadecanoic acid (31.75%) and 2-pentanone, 4-hydroxy-4-methyl (16.77). So that these experiments will help to understand and uncover the mechanism of action dill oil against the mutagenic effects of KBrO3 (i.e whether they have a prophylactic or treatment activity).

Improved Corrosion Resistance of 316L SS by Duplex Coating Consisting of a Cerium-Based Layer and a Stearic Acid Film

Improved Corrosion Resistance of 316L SS by Duplex Coating Consisting of a Cerium-Based Layer and a Stearic Acid Film

Stearic acid modified Fe3O4/Y2O3 composite membranes for efficient oil-water separation

Traditional oil-water separation methods have low separation efficiency and are prone to environmental pollution. The development of low-cost and environmentally friendly novel oil-water separation membranes is of wide interest nowadays. In this work, stearic acid modified Fe3O4/Y2O3 (Fe3O4/Y2O3/SA) composite membranes are prepared on PET and cotton fabric using spraying and impregnation methods. Both Y2O3 and Fe3O4 nanoparticles are compounded on the surface of the substrate and modified using stearic acid impregnation. The results show that Fe3O4/Y2O3/SA composite membrane has a water contact angle of 152.5° and exhibits super hydrophobicity/lipophilicity. At the same time, the composite membrane has excellent oil-water separation performance, including high separation efficiency (99.92 %) for a variety of oil-water mixtures, and good stability in 15 cycles of separation tests. The mechanism of oil-water separation is discussed.

Curcumin-Loaded Organogel for The Topical Skin Disorder Based on 12 Hydroxystearic Acid

Curcumin (CUR) possesses various pharmacological properties, including antibacterial and improving injury healing. This work aimed to formulate curcumin organogel using 12 hydroxy stearic acid as gelator with tween 80 as surfactant and PEG 400 as co surfactant to improve the CUR permeation through the skin. The CUR organogels were prepared using different 12HSA concentrations with solvents sesame oil (SO), and orange oil (OO), in addition to T80 and P400 and evaluated for their saturated solubility, tabletop rheology, oil binding capacity, pH, spreadability, in vitro release, antibacterial activity, oscillatory rheology study, skin irritation, histological examination and ex- with in- vivo permeation study across rat abdominal skin. Results: The important results that distinguished organogels were the spreadability and in vitro release studies. The 4SO, 2OO, 2T80, and 10P400 organogels presented successful gelation and represented the lowest 12HSA concentration in each solvent that approached the current aim’s study by being more spreadable with higher CUR released. At the same time, the 2T80 and 10P400 gave zones of inhibition to 4 bacterial strains and good viscoelasticity by exhibiting large flow point values in the frequency sweep study compared with 4SO and 2OO. In vivo study affirmed the CUR permeation by studying the fluorescent images of 2T80 and 10P400, and the ex vivo permeation study for 10P400 proved the CUR permeation through rat’s skinOur results indicated the potential of 10P400 and 2T80 organogel to improve the topical therapeutic efficacy of CUR.

501 The effect of dietary camelina, flaxseed, and canola oil supplementation on skin fatty acid profile, inflammation and immune responses in healthy adult horses

Abstract As n-6 and n-3 fatty acids (FA) have pro- and anti-inflammatory effects, respectively, supplemental oils have the potential to impact inflammation, the immune response, and skin and coat health. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of camelina (CAM), in comparison to canola (OLA) and flaxseed (FLX) oil on the skin FA profile, inflammation, and the immune response in horses. Horses [n = 24; 14.2 ± 4.8 yr; 518 ± 63 kg body weight (BW)] were acclimated to sunflower oil over 4 wk. Groups were balanced by location, age, weight, sex, and breed and randomly assigned one of the three treatments (CAM, OLA, FLX). Horses were fed their assigned oil at a dose of 0.37 g/kg BW for 16 wk. Skin samples were collected on wk 16, and the skin FA composition was analyzed by gas chromatography. On wk 10 and 12, keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) was administered intramuscularly to each horse to stimulate a systemic immune response. Blood was collected on wk 14 and 16 for the evaluation of plasma KLH immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentrations using a modified ELISA protocol and results were presented as optical density units. On wk 12, after the first KLH injection, a delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) test was performed by intradermally injecting KLH and the area of swelling was measured using the software ImageJ at 0.5-, 1-, 8-, 24-, 48-, 72-, and 96-h post-injection. Data were analyzed using the GLIMMIX procedure of SAS considering the effects of treatment, time, and their interaction as fixed, and the effects of horse and location as random. Repeated measures on horses were modelled using a spatial power covariance structure. Significance was declared at P ≤ 0.05 and when fixed effects were significant, means were separated using Tukey-Kramer adjustments. Immune and inflammatory responses were produced by the KLH injections; however, there were no differences among treatment groups regarding KLH antibody and DTH response (P &amp;gt; 0.44). The percentages of palmitic (P = 0.02) and stearic acid (P = 0.03) in the skin at wk 16 were greater in FLX as compared with CAM but neither differed from the OLA. The percentage of linoleic acid (P = 0.01) was greater in CAM than OLA but neither differed from FLX at wk 16. The percentage of all other FA was similar among treatment groups (P &amp;gt; 0.06). These results suggest that CAM is comparable to FLX and OLA regarding support of an immune and inflammatory response, and the oil FA composition was not reflected in the skin FA profile after feeding for 16 wk as hypothesized. In conclusion, at the dose provided, CAM supports a similar immune and inflammatory response to KLH as FLX and OLA; however, the lack of incorporation of FA from the diet into the skin should be further explored.

Bio-based eutectic composite phase change materials with enhanced thermal conductivity and excellent shape stabilization for battery thermal management

Organic phase change materials (PCMs) are commonly used for battery thermal management. Organic petroleum-based PCMs such as paraffin have an adverse effect on environment. Fatty acids as environmentally friendly bio-based PCMs, have enormous potential in sustainable development strategies. Nevertheless, the application of fatty acids in battery thermal management (BTMS) is restricted by the leakage of liquid PCM, poor thermal performance and the improper phase change temperature. We proposed a novel bio-based eutectic composite phase change materials (CPCM) with enhanced thermal conductivity and excellent shape-stabilization, composed of ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), Aluminum nitride (AlN), and the eutectic PCM of Lauric acid (LA) and Stearic acid (SA). Significantly, the screened eutectic PCM of LA-SA possesses a suitable phase change temperature(37.03 °C) corresponding to the battery operating temperature, and long-term thermal cycling stability of up to 100 cycles. And the cross-linked structure of EVA effectively encapsulated the eutectic PCM, whose mass only lost below 4% after being heated at 80 °C for 24 h. Simultaneously, the introduction of AlN can greatly improve their heat transfer ability and mechanical properties. LA-SA/EVA/AlN composites with 5 wt% AlN has adequate latent heat of 107.94 J.g−1 and high thermal conductivity of 0.726 W.(m·K)−1 as well as with low flexural strength of 1.72 MPa. Additionally, the proposed CPCM with 5 wt% AlN achieved the maximum temperature of battery below 45 °C during 4C discharging test. It suggested that the CPCM incorporated with AlN is capable effective cooling battery and dissipate energy inside PCM rapidly.

Molecular profiling of triacylglycerols in bovine and goat milk powders via ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Triacylglycerols (TAG) play several nutritional, technological, and functional roles in the dairy industry, representing approximately 98 % of milk fat. In the present study, the total fatty acid composition and the sn-2 fatty acid positional distribution of bovine and goat milk powders fat were analyzed by using the gas chromatography-flame ionization detector. Furthermore, the identification of TAG molecular species from milk powders was conducted using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS). The separation of milk TAG was accomplished by using isopropanol/acetonitrile (90:10, v/v) as mobile phase A, and water/acetonitrile (60:40, v/v) as mobile phase B. Myristic, palmitic, stearic, and oleic acids were identified as the most abundant fatty acids making up 11.55 and 10.71 %, 33.23 and 30.64 %, 10.86 and 12.52 %, and 26.74 and 21.80 % in the bovine and goat milk powders, respectively. In bovine milk, 221 molecular species of TAG were identified, with the predominant molecular species (LaCyO, CaLaPa, CyPaM, OCaCa, CaGCy, GLaCo) detected at a retention time of 6.362 min, with a relative abundance of 8.28 %. In goat milk, 202 molecular species were identified, with the major molecular species (CaLaM, CaPCa, CaCyS, CaCoAra, CaBuBe, LaPCy, LaCoS, LaBuAra, MPCo, MCyM, MBuS, PBuP, CyCoBe) detected at a retention time of 6.106 min, making up 8.14 % of the total TAG detected. These results provide valuable insights into milk fat composition for the dairy sector, aiding in the development of specialized dairy products.

49 Crossing-talk between micronutrient and macronutrient metabolism: Implication in health and disease

Abstract Recent goals of swine ration formulation have evolved from preventing nutritional deficiency diseases and maximizing growth performance to optimizing immune function and disease resistance with least climate impact. Thus, certain micronutrients such as selenium (Se) are widely considered to be health beneficial at dietary concentrations above nutrient requirements. During the past decade, we have conducted a number of experiments to determine impacts and mechanisms of dietary Se concentrations (0.03 to 1 or 3 mg/kg) on metabolism of carbohydrate, lipid, and protein in pigs from growing to finishing. Strikingly, pigs fed high-Se diets developed hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance. Those pigs also had increased lipid, protein, saturated fatty acids (myristic, palmitic, stearic, and behenic acids), and aspartic acid, glutamine, and alanine and decreased polyunsaturated fatty acids (dihomo-γ-linolenic, oleic, α-linolenic, and eicosatrienoic acids) in the liver and(or) adipose tissues. The high-Se diets increased and decreased amounts of 5 and 2 selenoproteins, respectively, in tissues of pigs. These effects were associated with down-regulated insulin signaling (INSR and AKT), glycolysis (glucokinase) and gluconeogenesis (PEPCK) and up-regulated lipogenesis (FOXO1, SREBP1, ACC and FAS), and protein synthesis (mTOR and RPS6/S6). In contrast, high dietary fat intakes up- or down-regulated expressions of all selenoproteins except for TXNRD2 and TXNRD3 and showed a strong effect on expressions of DIO2, GPX6, and SELENOK. These induced selenogenome expression changes were associated with increased serum malondialdehyde and plasma concentrations of tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin-6, along with risk of obesity and chronic inflammation. Altogether, metabolisms of micronutrients and macronutrients in pigs are coordinated through interdependent and mutually regulated crossing talks at tissue, cellular, biochemical, and signal levels.

Stability-enhanced (Cu-, Zn-)MOFs via (Cu, Zn)S composite strategy: A promising approach for oil-water separation

The application of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) in the field of oil-water separation is developing rapidly, but the challenges of poor water stability, poor scalability and durability still limit its practical application. In this study, two environmentally friendly and non-toxic superhydrophobic (Cu, Zn)S/(Cu-, Zn-)MOFs@stearic acid (CuS/Cu-MOFs@SA and ZnS/Zn-MOFs@SA) coatings were successfully prepared by hydrothermal method combined with dip coating method, with a water contact angle (WCA) of >165°. Through the synergistic effect with stearic acid (SA), the (Cu-, Zn-)MOFs coating composited with CuS and ZnS exhibits excellent durability in extreme environments. This synergistic effect significantly improves the mechanical stability and durability of the coating, allowing it to maintain a WCA of >155° after friction, kneading, tape stripping and ultrasonic treatment. However, CuS/Cu-MOFs@SA coating is significantly superior to ZnS/Zn-MOFs@SA coating in terms of chemical stability (acid-base-salt environment) and self-cleaning ability due to the different ligands used in the preparation process and the formation of particle structure. Significantly improved its durability and reliability in oil-water separation. The separation efficiency of the coating is as high as 98.7 %, and it remains above 97.8 % after 12 times of repeated use. This study provides a new strategy and important reference for the development of superhydrophobic MOFs coatings and oil-water separation materials with high stability, wear resistance and corrosion resistance.

Development of a biomimetic water-based lubricant: Nanoencapsulation of stearic acid using liposomes

Water-based lubricants are abundant in nature; however, they perform poorly in mechanical systems. Based on research into synovial fluid lubrication a water-based liposomal lubricant was developed using a phospholipid (DSPC) and stearic acid (SA). Compared to pure water the liposomal DSPC lubricant improved wear and friction performance, although it underperforms a low viscosity oil such as hexadecane. The inclusion of SA encapsulated within the liposome further improves the performance to a level comparable to hexadecane. Improved performance is achieved due to the following factors: a) DSPC-SA lubricant forms a growing multi bilayer structure in the contact region thereby decreasing wear b) the electrostatic charge associated with the structure allows for retention of the film within the contact area thereby decreasing friction and wear c) liposomes allow for utilisation of insoluble additives within water-based lubricants. The optimal liposomal lubricant tested demonstrates a 63 % reduction of the coefficient of friction and a 99 % reduction in resulting wear compared to DI water alone, thereby providing an avenue for effective utilisation of water in mechanical systems.

Full composition-wide association study identifies the chemical markers to distinguish different processed camellia oils: Integrating multi-targets with chemometrics

To identify chemical-markers from hot-pressed, cold-pressed, organic-solvent, aqueous-enzymatic and water extracted camellia oils (HPO, CPO, OSO, AEO, WEO). We report a full composition-wide association study based on GC–MS, LC-MS and 1HNMR. Squalene, β-amyrin and lupeol were potential-markers in distinguishing different oils through GC–MS. Naringenin, FA 18:1 + 10, undecanedioic acid and tridecanedioic acid exhibited were up-regulated in HPO. 16-Hydroxyhexadecanoic acid, octadecanoic acid and 9-hydroxyoctadecadienoic acid were potential-metabolites in CPO. Characteristic-markers in WEO were hydroquinidine and undecanedioic acid. Gallic acid, hydroquinidine, lichesterylic acid and 7,4′-dihydroxyflavone were biomarkers in AEO. Oleic acid, linoleic acid and triacylglycerols may be potential key markers to distinguish AEO from others via 1HNMR. Finally, Naringenin, gallic acid, kaempferol, 7,4′-dihydroxyflavone, (Z)-5,8,11-trihydroxyoctadec-9-enoic acid and β-amyrin were screened and validate through integration of nonglyceride minor components and trace metabolites. Results provided understanding of chemical diversity for different processed-camellia oils, and proposed a complementary strategy to distinguish different camellia oils for multidimensional perspective.

Phenolic Compounds, Fatty Acid Contents, and Antibacterial Properties of Ozonated and Non-Ozonated Tobacco Seed Oils

ABSTRACT In this study, the fatty acid content, phenolic compounds, and antimicrobial activity of seed oils from Ege Özbaş (EO), Sarıbağlar 407 (S407) and Akhisar 98 (A98) tobacco plants grown in the Aegean region were investigated. The ozonation process altered fatty acid and phenolic compound compositions and affected antimicrobial activities against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria in the oils. Tobacco seed oils (TSOs) were extracted via cold pressing (CP) and Soxhlet extraction (SE). Fatty acids and phenolic compounds were analyzed using GC-FID and LC-MS/MS, respectively. Non-ozonated oils averaged 73% linoleic acid, 13% oleic acid, 9% palmitic acid, and 3% stearic acid, while ozonated oils contained 41% linoleic acid, 18% oleic acid, 22% palmitic acid, and 11% stearic acid. The presence of 33 phenolic compounds was investigated and 22 common phenolic compounds were detected in both ozonated and non-ozonated TSOs, including gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, chlorogenic acid, 3-hydroxybenzoic acid, (-)-epicatechin, 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid, caffeic acid, verbascoside, luteolin-7-glucoside, hesperidin, and rosmarinic acid. The increased antimicrobial activity of fatty acids and phenolic compounds following ozonation suggests the potential for developing creams to treat skin diseases and wounds caused by antibiotic-resistant pathogens, and to reduce the effects of aging skin wrinkles.

A further understanding of changes of wheat bran functionality induced by different types of probiotics fermentation: From molecules to regulation mechanism

Wheat bran (WB) was solid-state fermented by either Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus (LGG), Levilactobacillus brevis (LB) or Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (LP), respectively, and then their corresponding physicochemical and metabolic characteristics were investigated. Current study revealed fermentation of either Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus or Lactiplantibacillus plantarum quickly generated lactic acid, but not for Levilactobacillus brevis. Importantly, all LAB fermentation promoted total phenolic acids contents, fermentation of LB-WB led to the greatest total phenolic content, followed by LGG-WB, with the least for LP-WB. Moreover, LGG fermentation significantly increased levels of oleic acid, stearic acid and phosphoenolpyruvic acid on carbon metabolism and fatty acid biosynthesis, while LB fermentation mainly increased levels of L-phenylalanine, cholecalciferol, D-gluconic acid and D-glucarate with the influence on the entire metabolic pathway. In contrast, LP fermentation significantly decreased levels of alpha-ketoglutaric acid, cis-aconitic acid on the citrate cycle (TCA cycle). This study revealed their corresponding metabolic characteristics, which might highlight potentially individual nutritional aspects.

Low temperature conditioning and nitric oxide treatment reduced chilling injury and altered fatty acid metabolism of flat peaches

Low-temperature conditioning is a recognized method for alleviating chilling injuries in flat peaches. However, long-term low-temperature storage can mitigate volatile organic compounds, thereby limiting fruit availability. To improve the supply of flat peaches, we investigated the combined effects of low-temperature conditioning and nitric oxide treatment on various parameters including physiological quality, volatile organic compounds, fatty acids, associated enzymes, and genes involved in the fatty acid pathway with the transcriptome sequencing analysis. The results indicated that low-temperature conditioning coordinated with 10 µL L−1 nitric oxide treatment possessed higher firmness and vitamin C content and restricted the content of malonaldehyde and relative electrical conductivity, thus maintaining the overall quality of flat peaches. In the study, 10 µL L−1 nitric oxide was employed for subsequent experiments. Moreover, higher contents of volatile organic compounds were supported by increased contents of palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, alcohol dehydrogenase, hydroperoxide lyase, and up-regulated genes of LOX2, LOX3, LOX6, ADH2, and ADH3. In summary, nitric oxide treatment effectively facilitated the recovery of volatile organic compounds in flat peaches during cold storage. Therefore, low-temperature conditioning and nitric oxide treatment can be a promising strategy to prevent the loss of volatile organic compounds by modulating the fatty acid pathway and associated genes.

Unveiling the Bioactive Potential of Bacterial Isolates from Extreme Environments of Pakistan by In Vitro and In Silico Approaches.

The soil hosts a wide array of bacterial species capable of producing diverse bioactive compounds. This research aimed to screen bacterial isolates for their bioactive potential from extreme environments in Pakistan. Out of the 69 isolates examined, only 7 exhibited antagonistic activity against Bacillus sp. and Escherichia coli test strains. Notably, the B. cereus DS-2 strain demonstrated the highest antibacterial potential (31mm and 15mm) against the Bacillus and E. coli test strains, respectively. Mode-of-action studies suggested that the crude extract might have induced morphological abnormalities in the Bacillus sp. (test strain), causing cell contraction, chain breakage, and deformation. Furthermore, the B. cereus DS-2 strain displayed significant antioxidant potential (64.8%) as revealed by the 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay. Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) of the DS-2crude extract led to the separation of six components, with only spots 3 and 4 exhibiting the antibacterial potential (3mm and 5mm, respectively). Subsequently, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of the bioactive fraction extracted from TLC revealed the presence of diisooctyl phthalate, dibutyl phthalate, hexadecanoic acid methyl ester, and octadecanoic acid methyl ester. Molecular docking analysis of diisooctyl phthalate and dibutyl phthalate revealed their binding affinity against E. coli and Bacillus sp. targets. ADMET analysis confirmed the solubility, toxicity, and drug-like properties of the ligands based on Lipinski's rule of five. Current findings suggest that these compounds hold promise as antibacterial agents in drug development. This study underscores the diverse microbial community present in extreme environments and highlights the versatile applications of natural products derived from these strains.

New porous adsorbents based on natural polymers for treatment of motor oil contaminated wastewaters

AbstractThis study aims to develop efficient adsorptive materials for retaining used 5w40 motor oil using xanthan (XG), xanthan esterified with acrylic acid (XGAC), Lignoboost lignin (LB), and LB esterified with oleic and stearic acids. The adsorption capacities of these materials were systematically evaluated, revealing a hierarchical efficacy with XG exhibiting the highest performance (60.16 g/g), followed by XGAC/LB (59.92 g/g) and XGAC (55.79 g/g). These capacities were correlated with the materials' surface area and morphology. Additionally, accelerated weathering studies assessed the degradation process of the adsorptive materials over time, revealing that all of them undergo significant structural changes, which suggests potential pathways for environmentally friendly disposal. Kinetic studies indicated that the experimental data fit well with the pseudo‐second‐order (PSO) model. The high correlation coefficient values for the PSO model (0.9318–0.9998) confirmed its suitability for describing the kinetics of oil sorption. FTIR spectra of the used motor oil‐loaded materials confirmed the physical nature of the adsorption process, involving interactions such as hydrogen bonding, van der Waals forces, and π–π interactions. SEM analysis demonstrated that materials with larger pore sizes showed less efficient oil adsorption despite having high porosity, highlighting the importance of optimal pore size distribution for effective adsorption.

Single Cell MALDI-MSI Analysis of Lipids and Proteins within a Replicative Senescence Fibroblast Model.

In this study, we evaluate lipids and select proteins in human lung fibroblasts (hLFs) to interrogate changes occurring due to aging and senescence. To study single cell populations, a comparison of cells adhered onto slides using poly-D-lysine versus centrifugal force deposition was first analyzed to determine whether specific alterations were observed between preparations. The poly-D-lysine approach was than utilized to interrogate the lipidome of the cell populations and further evaluate potential applications of the MALDI-immunohistochemistry (IHC) platform for single-cell level analyses. Two protein markers of senescence, vimentin and p21, were both observed within the fibroblast populations and quantified. Lipidomic analysis of the fibroblasts found twelve lipids significantly altered because of replicative senescence, including fatty acids, such as stearic acid, and ceramide phosphoethanolamine species (CerPE). Similar to previous reports, alterations were detected in putative fatty acid building blocks, ceramides, among other lipid species. Altogether, our results reveal the ability to detect lipids implicated in senescence and show alterations to protein expression between normal and senescent fibroblast populations, including differences between young and aged cells. This report is the first time that the MALDI-IHC system has been utilized at a single-cell level to analyze both protein expression and lipid profiles in cultured cells, with a particular focus on changes associated with aging and senescence.