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There are numerous species in the Erwiniaceae family that are important for agricultural and clinical purposes. Here we described the Erwiniaceae bacterium PD-1 isolated from mushroom (Pleurotus eryngii) compost. Comparative genomic and phylogenetic analyses showed that the strain PD-1 was assigned to a new genus and species, Paramixta manurensis gen. nov., sp. nov. in the family Erwiniaceae. From the average amino acid index, we identified the five AroBEKAC proteins in the shikimate pathway as a minimal set of molecular markers to reconstruct the phylogenetic tree of the Erwiniaceae species. The strain PD-1 containing annotated genes for ubiquinone and menaquinone produced a higher level of ubiquinone (Q8) than demethylmenaquinone (DMK8) and menaquinone (MK8) in anaerobic condition compared to aerobic condition, as similarly did the reference strains from the genera Mixta and Erwinia. Results from fatty acid methyl ester and numerical analyses of strain PD-1 showed a similarity to species of the genera Mixta and Winslowiella. This study revealed that the strain's ability to utilize polyols, such as glycerol, erythritol, and d-arabitol, distinguished the strain PD-1 from the nearest relative and other type strains. The analyzed genetic markers and biochemical properties of the strain PD-1 suggest its potential role in the process of mushroom compost through the degradation of carbohydrates and polysaccharides derived from fungi and plants. Additionally, it can produce a high concentration of indole-3-acetic acid as a plant growth-promoting agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Thalictrum foliolosum, a member of the Ranunculus family, is recognized for its therapeutic potential in addressing gastric issues, dyspepsia, tooth pain, abdominal colic pain, and piles. The diverse array of secondary metabolites present in the plant contributes to these therapeutic applications. This study aims to uncover and quantify the bioactive secondary metabolites found in the unexplored leaves, stems, and roots of T. foliolosum. Additionally, we also aimed to evaluate the antibacterial activity and MIC values of these extracts against a panel of pathogenic bacteria, such as pathogenic strains, including Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus mutant and Staphylococcus aureus. Result: HPLC analysis suggested all examined compounds were found significantly more in root parts of plant. To determine the potential antimicrobial activity of different plant parts result suggested chloroform fraction of root most effective with variable potency against each examined pathogen at 25–100 µg/ml extracts which indicated rich content of berberine in this fraction. Minimum MIC (121.26 µg/mL) of the chloroform fraction of the root was also supported the results. Fatty acid methyl ester analysis by gas chromatography revealed that the stem contained high levels of fatty acids, such as palmitic acid, stearic acid, and linolenic acid, all of which have antibacterial properties. Conclusion: The potential antimicrobial activity of extracts of various plant parts strongly supports the T. foliolosum plant's widespread use in folk medicine for the treatment of various chronic diseases and adulterants with various associated medicinal plant species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The affinity interactions between boronic acids and sugars have been successfully exploited in many fields, such as the sensing of saccharides, selective enrichment of glycoconjugates, and drug delivery. However, despite multiple techniques having been adopted to investigate the reaction of boronate affinity, the pathway of boronate esters formation under aqueous conditions remains controversial. We report a MALDI-MS approach to investigate the interactions between phenylboronic acid and monosaccharides in neutral aqueous solution by using polylevodopa as an innovative substrate instead of conventional matrix. A series of unusual tri-benzeneboronic esters were then revealed. The mass spectrometry data indicate that they bear a dibenzenepyroboronate cyclic ester moiety with seven-membered ring or eight-membered ring. With the aid of theoretical computations, their most likely geometrical structures are elucidated, and these tri-benzeneboronic esters are proposed to be formed via a boroxine binding monosaccharide pathway. This work provides more insight into the mechanism of boronate affinity interaction between boronic acid and sugars and proves the developed MALDI-MS approach is promising for studying interactions between small molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polythionine was prepared by a simple electrochemical method and used as solid-phase microextraction coating for headspace extraction and analysis of four phthalate esters (dioctyl phthalate, benzyl butyl phthalate, di-n-butyl phthalate, and di-iso-butyl phthalate) by gas chromatographic-flame ionization detector. The thionine polymerization was performed at pH of 9 on a Pt wire. Made ready coating displayed a good thermal stability (up to 280 °C). The effects of three extraction parameters, containing salt effect, temperature and extraction time, on the extraction efficiencies of phthalate esters were evaluated. Under the optimized conditions, limits of detection were among 0.34–1.67 µg L−1. The inter-day and intra-day deviations of relative standard, attained at 50 µg L−1, were 7.64–10.62% and 10.14–12.84%, respectively. The method capability for analysis of the phthalates in real samples of cheese water and wastewater was evaluated and relative recoveries were between 82.63 and 119.50%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coupling algal cultivation with wastewater treatment due to their potentials to alleviate energy crisis and reduce environmental burden has attracted the increased attention in recent years. However, these microalgal-based processes are challenging since daily and seasonal temperature fluctuation may affect microalgal growth in wastewater, and the effects of the temperature regimes on microalgal biomass production and wastewater nutrient removal remain unclear. In this study, Chlorella vulgaris was continuously cultured for 15 days in municipal wastewater to investigate the effects on the algal biomass and wastewater nutrient removal in three temperature regimes: (1) low temperature (4 °C), (2) high temperature (35 °C), and (3) alternating high-low temperature (35 °C in the day: 4 °C at night). Compared with the other two temperature regimes, the high-low temperature conditions generated the most biomass (1.62 g L-1), the highest biomass production rate (99.21 mg L-1 day-1), and most efficient removal of COD, TN, NH3-N, and TP (83.0%, 96.5%, 97.8%, and 99.2%, respectively). In addition, the polysaccharides, proteins, lipid content, and fatty acid methyl ester composition analysis indicates that in alternating high-low temperature condition, biomass production increased the potential for biofuel production, and there was the highest lipid content (26.4% of total dry biomass). The results showed that the nutrients except COD were all efficiently removed in these temperature conditions, and the alternating high-low temperature condition showed great potential to generate algal biomass and alleviate the wastewater nutrients. This study provides some valuable information for large-scale algal cultivation in wastewater and microalgal-based wastewater treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dysregulated lipid species are linked to various disease pathologies and implicated as potential biomarkers for type 1 diabetes (T1D). However, it is challenging to comprehensively profile the blood specimen lipidome with full structural details of every lipid molecule. The commonly used reversed-phase liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (RPLC-MS/MS)-based lipidomics approach is powerful for the separation of individual lipid species, but lipids belonging to different classes may still co-elute and result in ion suppression and misidentification of lipids. Using offline mixed-mode and RPLC-based two-dimensional separations coupled with MS/MS, a comprehensive lipidomic profiling was performed on human sera pooled from healthy and T1D subjects. The elution order of lipid molecular species on RPLC showed good correlations to the total number of carbons in fatty acyl chains and total number of double bonds. This observation together with fatty acyl methyl ester analysis was used to enhance the confidence of identified lipid species. The final T1D serum lipid library database contains 753 lipid molecular species with accurate mass and RPLC retention time uniquely annotated for each of the species. This comprehensive human serum lipid library can serve as a database for high-throughput RPLC-MS-based lipidomic analysis of blood samples related to T1D and other childhood diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work emphasis on to estimate the theoretical findings of energy and exergy analysis of biodiesel fueled with diesel on variable compression ratio engine at various combinations of fuel blend at different compression ratios. This study aims to identify the optimum engine settings based on compression ratio and biodiesel blends. The engine is operated with methyl esters of rubber seed oil and its 20, 40, 60 and 80% blends with diesel on volume basis. The compression ratio is varied from 18:1 to 22:1 at five compression ratios at 80% load in 3.5 kW, 1500 rpm, single cylinder water-cooled direct injection engine. The variables analyzed are energy and exergy potential of fuel input, shaft work, cooling water, maximum pressure, heat release rate, exergy destruction, brake-specific energy consumption, brake thermal efficiency, second law efficiency, entropy generation, exhaust gas temperature and various emissions. It is observed that the combination of CR 20, B20 and B40 at 80% load gives a better performance in thermodynamic analysis of methyl esters of rubber seed oil blended with diesel in VCR engine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synthesis of 5,7-dimethyl-3-hydroxymethyl-1-adamantanol with limited conformational mobility and of a series of esters based thereon has been performed. The physicochemical properties and thermo-oxidative stability of synthesized diesters have been studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of the addition of six sweeteners (erythritol, xylitol, maltitol, sucrose, steviol sweetener, and stevia leaves) on the formation of 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol (3-MCPD) and 3-MCPD esters in glycerol and shortbread model systems subjected to heat treatment was investigated. The highest level of free 3-MCPD was reached for the glycerol model system with the addition of steviol sweetener (114.8 μg kg), in contrast to the model with stevia leaves (51.9 μg kg). The level of free 3-MCPD in the shortbread model was roughly similar, whilst the levels of esterified 3-MCPD were about 12 times higher. The maximum content was obtained in the model with sucrose (1112 μg kg) and the lowest with erythritol (676.4 μg kg). In the glycerol model system, 3-MCPD esters were not detected at all. The experiment revealed that acidic conditions, generated mainly by thermal decomposition of glucose, were a key factor promoting the formation of free and bound 3-MCPD, while in the case of the application of polyols, especially erythritol or xylitol, the chloropropanol production was significantly lower. The experiment also showed that antioxidant capacity of products formed under heat treatment (0.53-1.03 mol Trolox kg) might have some significance in 3-MCPD formation. The findings of the study suggest that erythritol and xylitol added instead of sugar to shortbread can be effective agents in the mitigation of free and bound 3-MCPD formation. However, we also revealed that the application of sweeteners based on maltodextrin or pure stevia extract did not show any inhibitory effect, and in some cases led to the increase in the 3-MCPD generation, so their use in the bakery industry should be reconsidered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stabilisation of foam bubbles is of both scientific interest and technological importance. In this respect, the study of polyglycerol ester-based nonionic surfactants is highly relevant as they lead to remarkable foam stability. The present work investigates the thermodynamic and rheological properties leading to this stability with a particular focus on out-of-equilibrium conditions of the surface. These may occur after bubble coalescence events, which lead to a compression of the interface. To separate the effects of such a compression on surface tension and the extra stresses which arise due to deformation of the interface, a double wall ring geometry mounted in a ribbon trough was used. Surface tension and the linear viscoelastic properties are shown to be affected differently by compression of the surface. The surface tension relaxes to an equilibrium value while the surface moduli will continue to rise which each compression step. The presence of multilayered structures, which have been reported for polyglycerol esters, explains how these differences arise. The polyglycerol ester-based nonionic surfactants are an example of materials where a true surface rheological response, related to the extra and deviatoric stresses, can be used to limit coalescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

T cell differentiation into distinct T helper (Th) subpopulations is crucial in governing acquired immune responses as well as some inflammatory and autoimmune disorders. This study investigated potential of the novel neutral binuclear ruthenium(II) complexes 1- 8 with general formula [{RuCl(η- p-cym)}μ-(NN)] (NN = bis(nicotinate)- and bis(iso-nicotinate)-polyethylene glycol esters; (3-py)COO(CHCHO)CO(3-py) and (4-py)COO(CHCHO)CO(4-py); n = 1-4), as well as [RuCl(η- p-cym)(nic)] ( R1, nic = nicotinate) and [RuCl(η- p-cym)(inic)] ( R2, inic = isonicotinate) as an immunomodulatory agents capable to direct Th cell differentiation. From all investigated complexes, [{RuCl(η- p-cym)}μ-{(3-py)COO(CHCHO)CO(3-py)}] ( 4) was selected for further study because it did not affect splenocyte viability (in concentration up to 50 μM), but significantly reduced secretion of representative Th1 cytokine, IFN-γ induced by T cell mitogen. Besides IFN-γ, 4 inhibited dose dependently expression and production of representative Th17 cytokine, IL-17, in these cells. Otherwise, the production of anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-4 and IL-10 was upregulated. Also, 4 significantly increased CD4CD25FoxP3 Treg cell frequency in the activated splenocytes. Moreover, ConA-induced expression of Th1 transcription factors, T-bet and STAT1, as well as of Th17-related protein STAT3 was attenuated upon exposure to 4, while the expression of Th2-related transcription factor GATA3 remained stable. In conclusion, ruthenium(II) complex 4 modulates immune system cell functions in vitro by inhibiting T cell differentiation towards pathogenic Th1/Th17 phenotype and inducing a regulatory phenotype characterized by IL-10 and IL-4 production, which may provide novel therapeutic opportunities for immune-inflammatory and/or autoimmune disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of 1,2,4-triazole-3-carboxamides have been prepared from 1,2,4-triazole-3-carboxylates under mild conditions. Efficient synthesis of amides directly from esters and amines is achieved under mild, neutral conditions with liberation of alcohol as by-product. Both primary and secondary aliphatic and aromatic amines can be utilized. This unprecedented, general, environmentally benign reaction proceeds in toluene under microwave conditions. The newly synthesized compounds were characterized by spectral and elemental analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The feasibility of rapid simultaneous analysis of soluble solid content (SSC), PH, total acidity, and total ester content in apple wine by Fourier transform near-infrared (FT-NIR) spectroscopy together with partial least squares (PLS) models was studied in this work. A set of 380 apple wine samples were scanned in a quartz cuvette with a 1-mm path length in the NIR region (4,000-12,000 cm) in transmission mode. Calibration models were established by PLS with full cross-validation. The NIR spectra were pretreated with different methods, and the effective wave number range together with the number of PLS factors used in the model calibration was optimized. The optimal models yielded the determination coefficients of 0.91, 0.93, 0.98, and 0.92 and the root mean standard error of prediction (RMSEP) of 0.601, 0.077, 0.021, and 0.096 for SSC, pH, total acidity, and total ester content, respectively. This work demonstrated that NIR spectroscopy was a rapid and convenient technique for analyzing and predicting SSC, pH, total acidity, and total ester content simultaneously during apple wine fermentation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thermal instabilities of deposited lithium with electrolytes in lithium-ion batteries are simulated by the reactions between metallic lithium with organic esters and ethers. Exothermic onset temperatures and enthalpy changes are measured and analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry. In this study, heat of reactions in lithium with eight different formations of esters and ethers are determined which are consistent to the data of lithiated graphite (LiC) reacted with electrolytes in literature. Furthermore, violently exothermic reactions with enthalpy larger than 1,000 J g and onset temperature lower than 120 °C are further conducted by the confinement test to verify the worst scenarios and consequences of lithium-ion batteries encountered any kind of abuses. Thermal instability of metallic lithium with organic esters in descending order determined to be Li + EB (70 °C)>Li + MB (73.1 °C)>Li + EA (90.8 °C). Finally, thermal hazard data such as onset temperature, maximum self-heat rate, maximum temperature, and maximum pressure of lithium reacted with esters and ethers are compared, evaluated, and some conclusion and suggestions are made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new tigliane-type diterpene ester, wiksphyllamin B ( 1), and one known compound, 12- O-benzoylphorbol 13-octanoate ( 2), were isolated from the stems of Wikstroemia scytophylla Diels. Their structures were identified using spectroscopic methods. The incorrect assignment of C NMR data of compound 2 in the literature was revised according to the 2D NMR spectra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Members of genus Gordonia are known to degrade various xenobitics and produce secondary metabolites. The genome of a halotorelant phthalic acid ester (PAEs) degrading actinobacterium Gordonia alkanivorans strain YC-RL2 was sequenced using Biosciences RS II platform and Single Molecular Real-Time (SMRT) technology. The reads were assembled de novo by hierarchical genome assembly process (HGAP) algorithm version 2. Genes were annotated by NCBI Prokaryotic Genome Annotation Pipeline. The generated genome sequence was 4,979,656 bp with an average G+C content of 67.45%. Calculation of ANI confirmed previous classification that strain YC-RL2 is G. alkanivorans. The sequences were searched against KEGG and COG databases; 3132 CDSs were assigned to COG families and 1808 CDSs were predicted to be involved in 111 pathways. 95 of the KEGG annotated genes were predicted to be involved in the degradation of xenobiotics. A phthalate degradation operon could not be identified in the genome indicating that strain YC-RL2 possesses a novel way of phthalate degradation. A total of 203 and 22 CDSs were annotated as esterase/hydrolase and dioxygenase genes respectively. A total of 53 biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) were predicted by antiSMASH (antibiotics & Secondary Metabolite Analysis Shell) bacterial version 4.0. The genome also contained putative genes for heavy metal metabolism. The strain could tolerate 1 mM of Cd2+, Co2+, Cu2+, Ni2+, Zn2+, Mn2+ and Pb2+ ions. These results show that strain YC-RL2 has a great potential to degrade various xenobiotics in different environments and will provide a rich genetic resource for further biotechnological and remediation studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]