Deciphering key proteins of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) fruit mesocarp development by proteomics and chemometrics

Palm oil is an edible vegetable oil derived from lipid‐rich fleshy mesocarp tissue of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) fruit and is of global economic and nutritional relevance. While the understanding of oil biosynthesis in plants is improving, the fundamentals of oil biosynthesis in oil palm still require further investigations. To gain insight into the systemic mechanisms that govern oil synthesis during oil palm fruit ripening, the proteomics approach combining gel‐based electrophoresis and mass spectrometry was used to profile protein changes and classify the patterns of protein accumulation during these complex physiological processes. Protein profiles from different stages of fruit ripening at 10, 12, 14, 15, 16, 18 and 20 weeks after anthesis (WAA) were analysed by two‐dimensional gel electrophoresis (2DE). The proteome data were then visualised using a multivariate statistical analysis of principal component analysis (PCA) to get an overview of the proteome changes during the development of oil palm mesocarp. A total of 68 differentially expressed protein spots were successfully identified by matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionisation‐time of flight (MALDI‐TOF/TOF) and functionally classified using ontology analysis. Proteins related to lipid production, energy, secondary metabolites and amino acid metabolism are the most significantly changed proteins during fruit development representing potential candidates for oil yield improvement endeavors. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD009579. This study provides important proteome information for protein regulation during oil palm fruit ripening and oil synthesis.     

Fabrication of magnetite nanoparticles (Fe3O4-NPs) for catalytic pyrolysis of nutshells biomass

The fabrication of nanoparticles has been perused as a topic of critical importance in the present decades. Biosynthesis of nanoparticles employs plants extract instead of harmful chemicals. These plant extracts act as reducing and capping agents which is the most appropriate and eco-friendly method among all the preparative routs. In present study, the magnetite nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄-NPs) were fabricated using rapid, single step and benign biosynthetic rout by reduction of ferric nitrate nonahydrate solution with Ferocactus echidne aqueous extract containing ascorbic acid as a main reducing and capping agent. The structural and morphological properties of prepared iron oxide nanoparticles were investigated by Powder X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The size of the synthesized nanoparticles was approximately 15 ± 2 nm as determined by Scherrer equation. The biosynthetically fabricated nanoparticles were employed as catalyst for pyrolysis of nutshells to produce biofuel. Catalytic pyrolysis of biomass yields biofuel as an alternative source of energy and chemical feed stock. Effect of temperature, heating rate, and amount of catalyst were investigated on conversion percentage and product yields. Aniline point, carbon residue, and cetane number of prepared bio-oil were also determined.     

A Mechanistic Investigation of the Kinetic Resolution of Secondary Aromatic Alcohols Using a Ferrocene‐Based Planar Chiral 4‐(Dimethylamino)pyridine Catalyst

A detailed computational and kinetic analysis of the acetylation of 1‐phenylethanol with acetic anhydride catalyzed by planar chiral 4‐(dimethylamino)pyridine (DMAP) catalyst (?)‐ 1 is presented. The study includes a computational investigation of the potential‐energy surface including the acylation and stereoselective transition states at the DFT level of theory. Experimentally, the kinetic study shows that the reaction proceeds in a first‐order manner in catalyst, whereas both substrates, acetic anhydride and 1‐phenylethanol, show fractional order, which is in accordance with steady‐state conditions. The fractional order depends on an equilibrium between the free catalyst and the acetylated catalyst.     

Evaluation of antiplasmodial properties of a cyanobacterium,Spirulina platensis and its mechanism of action

The rapid emergence of antimalarial drug resistance necessitates a continual effort on novel drug discovery. A cyanobacterium, Spirulina platensis, is a potential antimalarial agent that has been widely consumed as food supplement in the form of crude extract. It is known to possess antiviral, antibacterial and antifungi activities. This study examined the antimalarial activities of several Spirulina formulas against Plasmodium falciparum 3D7, in vitro. The tested Spirulina formulas included commercially available capsule, crude extract and alkaloid fraction. Results showed that all tested formula possessed antimalarial activities with the Spirulina capsule exhibited the highest activities (IC₅₀ = 2.16 μg/mL). Light and electron microscopies revealed interference of the Spirulina with the parasite hemozoin formation. In conclusion, all tested Spirulina formulas and fraction exhibited moderate to high antimalarial activities.     

Recent progress of poly (N-isopropylacrylamide) hybrid hydrogels: synthesis,fundamentals and applications – review

Hydrogels, having nanomaterials (e.g. nanoparticles and nanorods) incorporated inside their polymeric meshes, are generally called hybrid gels/hydrogels. These assemblies combine the properties of both hydrogels and nanomaterials in one system. These responsive hybrid hydrogels, particularly polymerized N-isopropylacrylamide (PoNip) polymeric gels, have been extensively exploited for various multi-disciplinary applications in the literature over the past two decades because of their unique and exquisite particulars. Next generation assemblies have been prepared by using the smart nature of these gels toward the general incentives (e.g. temperature, ionic strength, and pH) in the fields of nanocatalysis, water purification, drug delivery, photonics, and optics. This review presents an overview of the PoNip hybrid assemblies engineered over the past 7 years i.e. 2010–2016 and extensively discusses the interaction of the incorporated nanomaterial with the polymeric chains of the hydrogels as it is the most significant factor which makes these assemblies attractive for all the associated applications. Moreover, this article also describes the preparative routes, properties, classification, and applications of these hybrid hydrogels in the fields of medicine, environment, catalysis, and nanotechnology.     

Structural and spectral studies of N-trans-cinnamylidene-m-toluidine and N-trans-cinnamylidene-m-chloroaniline

N-trans-cinnamylidene-m-toluidine (1) C₁₆H₁₅N, and N-trans-cinnamylidene-m-chloroaniline (2) C₁₅H₁₂NCl form isomorphous crystals which are monoclinic, space group P2_l/c, with unit cell dimensionsa=5.967(2),b=13.793(3),c=15.048(5) Å, =91.97(3)° anda=5.868(2),b=13.788(4),c=15.191(4) Å, =91.87(3)°, respectively. The single-crystal X-ray structure determinations of the title compounds revealtrans structures. Ring (A) C_10–15 and ring (B) C_1–6, are practically planar in both structures with dihedral angels of 61.3(3) and 63.6(2)°, respectively.¹H nmr, u.v. and i.r. spectra are also reported.     

乙丙共聚物制润滑油粘度指数改进剂的研究

本文报导了一种用于乙丙共聚的高活性负载型催化剂(TiCl₄-FCl₃)/MgC1₂-Al(C₂H₅)₃利用催化剂中PCl₃的配体效应和反应过程中的氢调作用,得到低分子量,窄分子量分布的乙丙共聚物,适宜于用作润滑油的粘度指数改进剂。它在粘度指数、增稠能力、低温粘度、热安定性、氧化安定性以及剪切稳定性等使用性能上具有较好的综合指标。     

复射影空间的实2-调和超曲面

本文研究了复射影空间中的实２－调和超曲面和实极小超曲面之间的关系,推广了Ｌａｗｓｏｎ Ｈ．Ｂ和Ｋｏｎ Ｍ．关于实极小超曲面的Ｐｉｎｃｈｉｎｇ结果     

深度非弹性散射中的大快度间隔事件与雷吉子

分析了HERA实验上ep电荷交换过程的最大赝快度分布的实验结果.利用雷吉唯象理论计算了在这个过程中R_ρ(位于ρ⁺轨迹的雷吉子)交换的贡献.并用π介了云模型计算了同一过程中π⁺交换的贡献.运用Monte Carlo方法模拟了来态粒子的最大赝快度分布.结果表明,单独考虑哪一种交换过程都不能很好地解释实验结果,而当同时计入两者的贡献时,理论预言与实验数据符合较好.