Modifying <Emphasis Type=Italic>CRI</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type=Italic>CSR</Emphasis> values of coke

The influence of the following factors on the reactivity CRI and hot strength CSR in industrial coking is studied: eliminating bituminous coal from the coal batch; considerably increasing the coking periods; and significantly reducing the ash content of the batch. Batch composition such that the coke quality meets the needs of export customers (including requirements regarding CRI and CSR) is identified. Sharp deterioration in CRI and CSR is seen when the batch includes coal with high ash basicity and coal concentrate that is heavily contaminated with intermediate products.     

Complexes of poly(2-<Emphasis Type=Italic>N,N</Emphasis>-dimethylaminoethyl) methacrylate with heavy metals II. Oxidation of cyclohexene with <Emphasis Type=Italic>tert</Emphasis>-butylhydroperoxide

Metal complexes of poly(2-N,N-dimethylaminoethyl) methacrylate were prepared by complex-forming with aqueous solutions of salts of FeSO₄.2H₂O; CoCl₂.6H₂O; CuCl₂.2H₂O; VOSO₄.5H₂O; Na₂MoO₄.2H₂O and Na₂WO₄.2H₂O. The catalytic activity of the complexes was studied in the oxidation of cyclohexene as a model reaction. The activities of the complexes synthesized towards the reaction of cyclohexene epoxidation can be arranged by the following order: PDMAEM-MoO₂ ²⁺> PDMAEM-VO²⁺ > PDMAEM-WO₂ ²⁺> PDMAEM-Co²⁺ > PDMAEM-Fe³⁺> PDMAEM-Cu²⁺. The complexes catalyzing the homolytic decomposition of tert-butylhydroperoxide increased the maximum yield of 2-cyclohexene-1-ol and 2-cyclohexene-1-on. The yield of cyclohexene oxide and 2-cyclohexene-1-ol were 58% and 13%, respectively.     

Screening of <Emphasis Type=Italic>Candida utilis</Emphasis> and medium optimization for co-production of <Emphasis Type=Italic>S</Emphasis>-adenosylmethionine and glutathione

An effective S-adenosylmethionine and glutathione enriching yeast mutant of Candida utilis CCTCC M 209298 was first screened from plates containing 0.5 g/L of DL-ethionine by complex mutagenesis with UV and γ-ray in this study. Medium components optimization for enhanced co-production of S-adenosylmethionine and glutathione by C. utilis CCTCC M 209298 was further carried out using response surface methodology. The significant factors influencing S-adenosylmethionine and glutathione co-production were selected by Plackett-Burman design as sucrose, KH₂PO₄ and L-methionine, and Box-Behnken design was applied for further optimization studies. Based on these approaches, the optimized concentrations on medium components for higher co-production of S-adenosylmethionine and glutathione were sucrose 35.4 g/L, (NH₄)₂SO₄ 10 g/L, KH₂PO₄ 12.3 g/L, MgSO₄·7H₂O, 0.05 g/L, CaCl₂ 0.05 g/L and L-methionine 4.6 g/L. The medium optimization by response surface methodology led to a total production of 589.3 mg/L on S-adenosylmethionine and glutathione, which was 2.4-fold increased compared with the medium without optimization.     

Synthesis of novel single-walled carbon nanotubes/poly (<Emphasis Type=Italic>p</Emphasis>-phenylene benzobisoxazole) nanocomposite

Poly (p-phenylene benzobisoxazole) (PBO) fibers are some of the strongest organic polymer fibers. However, the introduction of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT) into the PBO backbone might lead to improvements in their alignment and physical properties. Therefore, SWNT was cut and functionalized by three oxidative cutting methods. After cutting, three different types of SWNT were obtained. Furthermore, copolymerization of SWNTs with PBO polymer was successfully carried out in a mixed solvent of polyphosphoric acid and methanesulfonic acid. The SWNTs were homogeneously distributed throughout the films of copolymerized products, as determined by Raman spectroscopy. The benzoxazole moieties could be formed between the carboxyl of SWNTs and o-aminophenol derivatives of PBO polymer. The length of SWNTs affected the dispersion and reaction activity. Short SWNTs could react with the PBO polymer more easily and form more covalent bonds.     

Canola Quality Indian Mustard Oil (<Emphasis Type=Italic>Brassica juncea</Emphasis>) is More Stable to Oxidation than Conventional Canola Oil (<Emphasis Type=Italic>Brassica napus</Emphasis>)

Canola-quality Indian mustard (Brassica juncea) is being developed as a complimentary oilseed crop to canola (Brassica napus) for cultivation in hot and low-rainfall areas, where canola does not perform well. In Australia, several B. juncea breeding lines have been developed for commercial cultivation and for eventual processing as canola oil. However, there still are significant species-based differences in the fatty acid composition with B. juncea containing lower levels of linoleic acid and higher levels of oleic and linolenic acids compared with B. napus. This has raised concern about possible oxidative stability differences between the oils. Oils (unrefined) extracted from different breeding lines of each species were subjected to accelerated autoxidation, and development of oxidative rancidity was assessed by four separate techniques: depletion of polyunsaturated fatty acids, depletion of tocopherol, development of primary oxidation products, and development of secondary oxidation products (propanal and hexanal). All the tests showed that the newly developed B. juncea oils are more stable to autoxidation than conventional canola (B. napus) oil, despite containing marginally higher linolenic levels. Oxidative stability does not appear to be a barrier to using oils from these emerging lines of B. juncea for partial or full replacement of conventional canola oil.     

<Emphasis Type=Italic>Nosema</Emphasis> spp. Infection Alters Pheromone Production in Honey Bees (<Emphasis Type=Italic>Apis mellifera</Emphasis>)

Pheromones in social insects play a key role in the regulation of group homoeostasis. It is well-established that parasites can modify hormone signaling of their host, but less is known about the effect of parasites on pheromone signaling in insect societies. We, thus, tested in honey bees (Apis mellifera) the effect of the widespread parasite Nosema spp. on the production of ethyl oleate (EO), the only identified primer pheromone in honey bee workers. Since environmental stressors like pesticides also can weaken honey bees, we also analyzed the effect of imidacloprid, a neonicotinoid widely used in agriculture, on EO production. We show that, contrary to imidacloprid, Nosema spp. significantly altered EO production. In addition, the level of Nosema infection was correlated positively with the level of EO production. Since EO is involved in the regulation of division of labor among workers, our result suggests that the changes in EO signaling induced by parasitism have the potential to disturb the colony homoeostasis.     

<Emphasis Type=Italic>Jatropha</Emphasis> Diterpenes: a Review

Terpenes are the largest group of phytochemicals that exhibit diverse functions in mediating antagonistic and beneficial interactions in, and among, organisms. For many years the abundance and distribution of terpenoid compounds in plants have benefitted both nature and human civilization. Jatropha species, belonging to the family Euphorbiaceae, are a rich source of terpenoid compounds. Among the terpenes, diterpenoid compounds have dominated the research area in Jatropha species with respect to their novel chemical structures and medicinal values. The present review describes the chemistry and biological activities of an array of Jatropha diterpenes. The diterpenes isolated from Jatropha species belongs to rhamnofolane, daphnane, lathyrane, tigliane, dinorditerpene, deoxy preussomerin and pimarane skeletal structures. Among the 68 diterpenes collated in this review, the biological activity of compounds varied distinctly—the majority of the diterpenes exhibited cytotoxic, antitumor and antimicrobial activities in vitro. To name a few, jatrophone, spruceanol and jatrophatrione exhibited antitumor properties against P338 lymphocytic leukemia and japodagrol against KB carcinoma cells. Whereas, curcusone B exhibited anti-invasive effects against cholangiocarcinoma cells. The phorbol esters (Jatropha factor C1–C6) and Jatropherol exhibited insect deterrent/cytotoxic properties. Many diterpenes (jatrophalactam, faveline derivatives, multifolone, curcusone, jatrophone derivatives etc.) showed in-vitro cytotoxic activity, while japodagrin, jatrogrossidione derivatives and jatropholone derivatives exhibited antimicrobial activities. Jatropha diterpenoids having a wide spectrum of bioactivity could form lead compounds or could be used as templates for the synthesis of new compounds with better biological activity for utilization in the pharmaceutical industries.     

Physico-Chemical Analysis,NMR Spectroscopy and Gas Chromatographic Studies of <Emphasis Type=Italic>Jatropha</Emphasis><Emphasis Type=Italic>curcas</Emphasis> L. Germplasm

A systematic collection of Jatropha curcas germplasm was carried out from five distinct ecogeographic zones of peninsular India in 2008. This involved recording passport data, documentation of important plant traits in situ, ecogeographic parameters and assessment of variability in 82 accessions. Extraction of oil was done by the Soxhlet method which gave an average yield of 38%. Oil content of collected accessions was determined by nuclear magnetic resonance and Soxhlet extraction. Oil variability ranged from 45.5% in JC-8 to 11.5% in JC-30. The level of unsaturated fatty acid ranged from 85% in JC-57 to 75.5% in JC-10. Saturated fatty acids ranged from 24% in JC-43 to 15% in JC-54, the oxidative stability index was highest at 2.1 in JC-30 and lowest at 0.68 in JC-17. The seed weight was greatest in JC-8 and the lowest in JC-30. This paper provides information that will facilitate the selection of promising accessions for genetic enhancement of Jatropha germplasm through conventional breeding.     

GC Separation of <Emphasis Type=Italic>cis</Emphasis>-Eicosenoic Acid Positional Isomers on an Ionic Liquid SLB-IL100 Stationary Phase

Gas chromatography (GC) of cis-eicosenoic acid (20:1) positional isomers has been investigated on a capillary column of ionic liquid 1,9-di(3-vinyl-imidazolium)nonane bis(trifluoromethyl)sulfonylimidate stationary phase (SLB-IL100). A test mixture of isomeric 20:1 methyl esters was prepared from flathead flounder flesh lipids. On a 60-m column operated at 150–180 °C, six peaks appeared in the elution order of 20:ln-15 → 20:ln-13 → 20:ln-11 → 20:ln-9 → 20:ln-7 → 20:ln-5. These peaks were baseline resolved within 20 min at 180 °C. The 20:ln-13 and 20:ln-11 isomers, poorly resolved on conventional polar polysiloxane stationary phases, were completely separated from each other with separation factor α = 1.02 and peak resolution (Rs) ≥ 1.57. When equivalent chain length (ECL) values were compared between the SLB-IL100 and CP-Sil 88 (biscyanopropyl polysiloxane), those of 20:ln-15 and 20:ln-13 exceptionally tended to be lower on the SLB-IL100. The excellent separation of 20:1 isomers seems due to less retention of 20:ln-15 and 20:ln-13 on SLB-IL100 rather than simply due to its high polarity. Analysis of herring oil 20:1 revealed the occurrence of 20:ln-13 in the Pacific herring but not in the Atlantic herring. The ionic liquid stationary phase, SLB-IL100, is effective for analyzing 20:1 isomers occurring in fish and other natural oils.     

Effect of polycarbodiimide on the thermal stability and crystallization of poly(<Emphasis Type=Italic>p</Emphasis>-dioxanone)

A kind of polycarbodiimide (PCD) as a thermal stabilizer was added into poly(p-dixoanone) (PPDO). The effect of PCD on the thermal stability and crystallization of PPDO was investigated by using non-isothermal thermalgravimetry (TG), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), polarized optical microscopy (POM) and wide angle X-ray diffractometry (WAXD). It has been shown that the addition of PCD can enhance significantly the thermal stability of PPDO. The thermal decomposition temperature of PPDO increases with the increase of the amount of PCD added. The activation energies for non-isothermal thermal degradation estimated by Kissinger method are 160 and 106 kJ mol⁻¹ for PPDO added with 5 wt% PCD and neat PPDO respectively. The results obtained from DSC and POM indicate that PCD plays a role of nucleating agent in the process of crystallization of PPDO. WAXD analyses reveal that the addition of PCD has no effect on the crystal structure of PPDO.     

Influence of the composition of coal ash on its flow temperature and on the <Emphasis Type=Italic>CSR</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type=Italic>CRI</Emphasis> values of the coke produced

Two sets of experimental data characterizing the chemical composition of coal ash, its flow temperature t _c, and the CSR and CRI values of the coke from such coal are analyzed. The results indicate that the content of four oxides (SiO₂, Fe₂O₃, CaO, and Na₂O) may be used to predict t _c and also CSR and CRI in mathematical models. Models of the form y = a(I ₄) ^b , where y = t _c, CSR, or CRI and I ₄ = SiO₂/(Fe₂O₃ + CaO + Na₂O), adequately describe the experimental data within the range considered.     

Evaluation of the reducing power effect on the enantioselective synthesis of methyl (<Emphasis Type=Italic>R</Emphasis>)-2-chloromandelate using <Emphasis Type=Italic>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</Emphasis>

The effect of the reducing power on the reduction of methyl-2-chlorobenzoylformate was evaluated by using carbon substrates with different reducing powers. Glucose, sorbitol, and gluconate regenerated 2, 3, and 1 NAD(P)H during its conversion to pyruvate, respectively. When sorbitol was used as the carbon substrate, complete conversion was achieved in 8 h while it took 12 h and 19 h when glucose and gluconate were used, respectively. The enantiomeric excess (ee) value was 96.7% when sorbitol was used.     

Inactivation of Baculovirus by Isoflavonoids on Chickpea (<Emphasis Type=Italic>Cicer arietinum</Emphasis>) Leaf Surfaces Reduces the Efficacy of Nucleopolyhedrovirus Against <Emphasis Type=Italic>Helicoverpa armigera</Emphasis>

Biological pesticides based on nucleopolyhedroviruses (NPVs) can provide an effective and environmentally benign alternative to synthetic chemicals. On some crops, however, the efficacy and persistence of NPVs is known to be reduced by plant specific factors. The present study investigated the efficacy of Helicoverpa armigera NPV (HearNPV) for control of H. armigera larvae, and showed that chickpea reduced the infectivity of virus occlusion bodies (OBs) exposed to the leaf surface of chickpea for at least 1 h. The degree of inactivation was greater on chickpea than that previously reported on cotton, and the mode of action is different from that of cotton. The effect was observed for larvae that consumed OBs on chickpea leaves, but it also occurred when OBs were removed after exposure to plants and inoculated onto artificial diet, indicating that inhibition was leaf surface-related and permanent. Despite their profuse exudation from trichomes on chickpea leaves and their low pH, organic acids—primarily oxalic and malic acid—caused no inhibition. When HearNPV was incubated with biochanin A and sissotrin, however, two minor constituents of chickpea leaf extracts, OB activity was reduced significantly. These two isoflavonoids increased in concentration by up to 3 times within 1 h of spraying the virus suspension onto the plants and also when spraying only the carrier, indicating induction was in response to spraying and not a specific response to the HearNPV. Although inactivation by the isoflavonoids did not account completely for the level of effect recorded on whole plants, this work constitutes evidence for a novel mechanism of NPV inactivation in legumes. Expanding the use of biological pesticides on legume crops will be dependent upon the development of suitable formulations for OBs to overcome plant secondary chemical effects.     

Effect of <Emphasis Type=Italic>Origanum vulgare</Emphasis> L. Essential Oil on Growth and Lipid Profile of <Emphasis Type=Italic>Yarrowia lipolytica</Emphasis> Cultivated on Glycerol-Based Media

Aim of the present study was to identify the chemical composition of Origanum vulgare L. essential oil and to investigate its effect on the biochemical behavior of the yeast Yarrowia lipolytica. Twenty-three compounds were identified by GC–MS analysis, representing the 92.3% (w/w) of the total essential oil of the plant. Carvacrol (56.3%) and thymol (16.4%) were the major components. Additionally, shake-flask cultivations of Y. lipolytica were performed, with various essential oil additions (0.05–2 mL/L of medium) on glycerol-based media. Growth was affected even at low concentrations (0.05 mL/L), while in higher essential oil concentrations, strong inhibition phenomena were observed. A tolerance-threshold concentration for the strain was hence established at 0.15 mL/L of oil. Furthermore, the presence of the essential oil in the culture medium resulted in changes in the composition of the intra-cellular lipids of the yeast. Specifically, oil addition to nitrogen-limited cultures to a level >0.15 mL/L caused a substantial increase in the percentage of saturated fatty acids (C16:0 and C18:0) in the lipid composition of the yeast Y. lipolytica.     

Studies on growth kinetics of predominantly <Emphasis Type=Italic>Pseudomonas</Emphasis> sp. in internal loop airlift bioreactor using phenol and <Emphasis Type=Italic>m</Emphasis>-cresol

Growth profile of predominantly Pseudomonas species was studied using wastewater containing phenol and m-cresol, as single and multi component systems in an internal loop airlift bioreactor (ILALR). The species utilized for the study was isolated from a wastewater treatment plant. The reactor was operated at both lower and higher hydraulic retention time (HRTs), 4.1 h and 8.3 h, respectively. The inlet phenol and concentration was varied between 100 and 800 mg/L with 800 mg/L as shock loading concentration for an HRT of 8.3 h. For 4.1 h HRT, the concentration was varied 100 and 500 mg/L using 500 mg/L as a shock loading concentration. The study showed complete degradation of both phenol and m-cresol, when present individually at an HRT of 8.3 h with an enriched biomass output. The specific growth rate of the culture at various phenol and m-cresol concentrations was fitted to a Monod model. The biokinetics value showed good potential of Pseudomonas species employing the internal loop air lift bioreactor in utilizing high strength phenolics containing wastewater. Culture growth profile with both phenol and m-cresol as mixtures also showed decreased lag times with complete utilization of the phenolics.