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This review assessed the efficacy and safety of pharmacologic agents (prostaglandins, oxytocin, mifepristone, hyaluronidase, and nitric oxide donors) and mechanical methods (single- and double-balloon catheters, laminaria, membrane stripping, and amniotomy) and those generally considered under the rubric of complementary medicine (castor oil, nipple stimulation, sexual intercourse, herbal medicine, and acupuncture). A substantial body of published reports, including 2 large network meta-analyses, support the safety and efficacy of misoprostol (PGE1) when used for cervical ripening and labor induction. Misoprostol administered vaginally at doses of 50 μg has the highest probability of achieving vaginal delivery within 24 hours. Regardless of dosing, route, and schedule of administration, when used for cervical ripening and labor induction, prostaglandin E2 seems to have similar efficacy in decreasing cesarean delivery rates. Globally, although oxytocin represents the most widely used pharmacologic agent for labor induction, its effectiveness is highly dependent on parity and cervical status. Oxytocin is more effective than expectant management in inducing labor, and the efficacy of oxytocin is enhanced when combined with amniotomy. However, prostaglandins administered vaginally or intracervically are more effective in inducing labor than oxytocin. A single 200-mg oral tablet of mifepristone seems to represent the lowest effective dose for cervical ripening. The bulk of the literature assessing relaxin suggests this agent has limited benefit when used for this indication. Although intracervical injection of hyaluronidase may cause cervical ripening, the need for intracervical administration has limited the use of this agent. Concerning the vaginal administration of nitric oxide donors, including isosorbide mononitrate, isosorbide, nitroglycerin, and sodium nitroprusside, the higher incidence of side effects with these agents has limited their use. A synthetic hygroscopic cervical dilator has been found to be effective for preinduction cervical ripening. Although a pharmacologic agent may be administered after the use of the synthetic hygroscopic dilator, in an attempt to reduce the interval to vaginal delivery, concomitant use of mechanical and pharmacologic methods is being explored. Combining the use of a single-balloon catheter with dinoprostone, misoprostol, or oxytocin enhances the efficacy of these pharmacologic agents in cervical ripening and labor induction. The efficacy of single- and double-balloon catheters in cervical ripening and labor induction seems similar. To date, the combination of misoprostol with an intracervical catheter seems to be the best approach when balancing delivery times with safety. Although complementary methods are occasionally used by patients, given the lack of data documenting their efficacy and safety, these methods are rarely used in hospital settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of DYNA - Ingeniería e Industria is the property of Publicaciones Dyna SL and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background The aim of this meta-analysis is to assess the effect of castor oil on caesarean, labour induction and neonatal outcomes. Methods The Cochrane, MEDLINE, Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) and Scopus databases were searched by two researchers without any time limits. The quality of studies was assessed based on the GRADE principles. Among selected articles, eight were about the onset of labour pains, and the type of delivery, and three dealt with 1-minute and 5-minute Apgar scores. Findings The results of meta-analysis showed a non-significant effect of castor oil on the risk of caesarean. Our findings also demonstrated a non-significant effect of castor oil on 1-minute and 5-minute Apgar score. There was a significant difference between castor oil and control groups in terms of labour onset hours (SMD=0.28, 95% CI=0.09 to 0.46; I2=88.2%). Conclusion The results suggested that castor oil had a bearing on labour induction, but it does not affect the risk of caesarean. and one- and five-min Apgar score. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The prevalence of diarrhoea remains high despite efforts by governments and NGOs to reverse trend. This study investigated the antidiarrhoeal activity and mechanism of Spondias mombin leaf fraction rich in quercetin-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (Q3G-RF) because of the acclaimed therapeutic efficacy. Secretory, osmotic, and infectious diarrhoea models using castor oil, magnesium sulphate, and Shigella flexneri respectively were evaluated at the doses of 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg in Wistar rats. Enteropathy was induced with castor oil and magnesium sulphate, while gastrointestinal motility was determined with charcoal meal. Results: Findings showed no mortality after 14 days of experimental period and no significant changes in behaviour, food, and water consumption. Relative to control, Q3G-RF inhibited the three models of diarrhoea, enteropathy, and gastrointestinal motility; bacterial colonies were reduced by Q3G-RF, while it improved the relative body weight of the animals. Q3G-RF also increased the intestinal concentration/activity of glucose, total protein, and Na+–K+ ATPase but reduced the concentration of TNF-α, PGE2, IL-1β, nitric oxide, Na+, K+, and Cl− in the diarrhoeal models. The intestinal fluid level of K+, Na+, and Cl− was significantly decreased by Q3G-RF in the enteropathy model. Length of the small intestine in the motility model was also increased by Q3G-RF, while peristaltic index and inhibition of peristalsis were reduced. Conclusion: Overall, quercetin-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside from Spondias mombin leaves demonstrated efficacy against infectious, secretory, and osmotic form of diarrhoeal and further justified its traditional use in the treatment of diarrhoea due to its antimotility, antisecretory, and antimicrobial properties by mechanism related to enhanced Na+–K+ ATPase, repressed nitric oxide, and suppressed prostaglandins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Castor oil (CAO)/poly (N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) (PVP) hybrid was synthesized at different reaction conditions including PVP/CAO weight ratio, temperature, and time. The results indicated that the optimum conditions to synthesis that hybrid is reacting of PVP having a molecular weight of 40,000 Da with CAO at a weight ratio of 30% and temperature of 150°C for 60 min. The synthesized hybrid was characterized via FTIR. Emulsification of such hybrid in water results in a white stable emulsion. The TEM analysis proved that the prepared emulsion of a particle size ranges from 320 to 370 nm. The technical feasibility to apply the produced emulsion for functional finishing of cotton fabric was studied. The results obtained indicated that treating cotton fabric with easy care finishing bath containing the synthesized emulsion results in enhancement in nitrogen content, tensile strength, whiteness index, stiffness, and antibacterial activities along with a decreasing in resiliency, wettability, and surface roughness properties of treated fabric, compared to the control sample. Moreover, incorporation of zinc oxide nano-particles (ZnO-NPs) or dihydroxybenzophenone (DHBP) in the above mentioned finishing bath enhances the functional properties of the finished fabric. Furthermore, dyeing fabric samples with different reactive and direct dyes followed by finishing using the aforementioned finishing bath, in absence of ZnO-NPs and DHBP, gives rise to an enhancement in the color strength of such samples compared to the dyed samples. The fastness to washing and perspiration of only the direct dye dyed/finished sample was improved. Almost all the dyed/ finished samples exhibited an improvement in their fastness to the wet rubbing and alkaline perspiration along with a reduction in fastness to light. In addition, the SEM, as well as EDX analysis of treated fabric, was investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Castor oil is a vegetable oil extracted from castor beans, known for its diverse applications across the chemical industry, food industry, skincare products, biodiesel components, and pharmaceuticals. Analyzing the fatty acid composition of castor oil using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) can be complex due to various factors inherent to fatty acids and the oil's composition. Therefore, the goal of this study is to effectively separate and analyze the major fatty acids present in castor oil using GC-MS. Castor oil was methylated using alcoholic potassium hydroxide, then neutralized with salicylic acid and centrifuged. The supernatant was diluted and injected into the GC-MS with a developed temperature program. The results indicated that castor oil contains five fatty acids: ricinoleic acid methyl ester, oleic acid methyl ester, linoleic acid methyl ester, stearic acid methyl ester, and palmitic acid methyl ester, with respective concentrations of 87.63%, 1.81%, 6.57%, 2.93%, and 1.07%. Among these, methyl ricinoleate was the most abundant at approximately 87.36%, while palmitic acid methyl ester had the lowest concentration at 1.07%. The order of fatty acids detected was methyl ricinoleate > linoleic acid > stearic acid > oleic acid methyl ester > palmitic acid. To our knowledge, this is the first report of an easy and efficient method for the analysis of castor oil. In conclusion, the developed methylation of castor oil and gas chromatography temperature program are suitable for the routine analysis of castor oil. • Castor oil is vegetable oil pressed from castor beans. • Use in chemical, food, cosmetics, biodiesel, and pharmaceuticals industries. • To prepare fatty acid methyl ester profiling by chromatography method. • The results shows that ricinoleic acid methyl ester is a major component. • Develop method for methylation as well as temperature program for GC-MS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Curcumin can be used as a chain extender to synthesize CPU resin without adding toxic catalyst. • The first case of using CPU resin for wood coating with orange-yellow color. • With EDA/curcumin molar ratio set to 8/2, CPU film shows the highest mechanical property. • CPU resins demonstrate the capability to shield wood and show potential for further advancement as light-responsive color indicator. This study investigates the use of curcumin as a hydroxyl chain extender in polyurethane (PU) films, which not only absorbs ultraviolet (UV) light but also acts as a polymeric dye. It evaluates the lightfastness of these films and assesses their potential for wood coating applications. Curcumin-based waterborne PU (CPU) resins were prepared by the prepolymerization method using EDA (Ethylenediamine)/curcumin molar ratios of 9/1, 8/2, 7/3, 6/4, and 5/5. The CPU film was analyzed for its transparency, thermal stability, mechanical strength, and water absorption characteristics. In particular, the wood coating performance and lightfastness of the CPU resin were investigated. The results indicate that higher curcumin content results in an increased proportion of hard segments and hydrogen bonds within the CPU film. Notably, when the EDA/curcumin molar ratio is set to 8/2, the CPU resin exhibits the highest molecular weight, particle size, and cross-linking density, thereby enhancing its tensile strength, Young's modulus, and storage modulus. The results demonstrate the CPU film's ability to absorb UV light, thereby increasing its resistance to light exposure and causing significant color changes in lightfastness tests. CPU resin holds promise for applications as a lightfast yellow coating and a light-sensitive color change indicator. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The utilisation of coated controlled-release fertilizers (CRFs) leads to the persistence of residual plastic films in agricultural soils, posing a potential threat to crop health. This study investigates the impacts of four residual films (0.39 %, w/w) derived from CRFs in soil, including petrochemical polyether, bio-based polyether, castor oil polyester, and wheat straw polyester polyurethane on wheat growth. This study found that PecPEUR significantly reduced wheat plant height, stem diameter, leaf area, and aboveground fresh weight by 24.8 %, 20.2 %, and 25.7 %. Through an in-depth exploration of transcriptomics and metabolomics, it has been discovered that all residual films disrupted glycolysis-related metabolic pathways in wheat roots, affecting seedling growth. Among them, PecPEUR significantly reduced the fresh weight of aboveground parts by 20.5 %. In contrast, polyester polyurethane residue had no discernible impact on aboveground wheat growth. This was attributed to the enrichment of wheat root genes in jasmonic acid and γ-aminobutyric acid metabolic pathways, thus mitigating oxidative stress, enhancing stress resistance, and ensuring normal plant growth. This study, for the first time, provides comprehensive insights into the effects of polyurethane film residue on wheat seedling growth, underscoring its potential as a promising alternative to conventional plastics in soil. [Display omitted] • Four types of polyurethane CRF residues affected the wheat growth. • The residual film diameter < 0.5 mm, which belongs to the category of microplastics. • Transcriptomics and metabolomics revealed coercive mechanisms. • Wheat roots alter metabolites and enzymes in response to residual film stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global lactone market, although it has expanded over the years, has still been little explored. The objective of this review was to provide a percentage quantification of γ-lactone production from papers published in Web of Science™ (WoS). To this end, a systematic search was carried out to identify the main raw materials and microorganisms for biotransformation of hydrophobic material and the main γ-lactones produced in the process along with the main gaps exists. The results obtained in this review suggest that on an average the number of publications is around three papers per year, relatively low compared to those in other areas. Castor oil and its derivatives represent 80% of the raw materials used for biotransformation into γ-lactones, due to the high concentration of ricinoleic acid. Yarrowia lipolytica represents around 55.26% of the total application in the papers evaluated. The γ-decalactone, with nuances of peach aroma, is the γ-lactone most reported in this review, representing around 84.21% of the total papers published in WoS. Liquid-liquid extraction has been a favorite of researchers, and diethyl ether is the organic solvent most used in the recovery of lactones, representing 44.73% of the papers evaluated. This review demonstrates the need to explore new oilseed sources such as fruit seed oil considered as waste, but also the need to produce other lactones such as γ-dodecalactone due to the biotransformation of oleic acid, fatty acid present in most vegetable oils, and its production process under optimized conditions. [Display omitted] • Castor oil and derivatives represent 80% of application in biotransformation studies. • γ-decalactone is the main lactone obtained by biotechnological means. • SPME and SBSE are little explored in the extraction and quantification of lactones. • There is currently an interest in the biotechnological production of γ-lactones. • The use of seeds rich in oil can be a great alternative in the production of lactones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural Ca-Bentonite from Ebenebe in Anambra State, Nigeria, was successfully impregnated with Ca (NO3)2, Zn (NO3)2 and KOH and further calcined under different conditions of temperature and time using standard methods. Both the natural and impregnated bentonite clays were characterized using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy (XRF) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and then applied as catalysts in transesterification reaction of refined castor oil. Viscosity reduction test was used to ascertain the best catalyst for the transesterification. FTIR spectra of the activated clay catalysts show the formation of new functional groups, as the intensity of the Al-O-H stretching group (3633cm-1) of the natural clay increased with slightly higher wavelengths of 3640cm-1, 3644cm-1, 3644cm-1, 3644cm-1, 3640cm-1 and 3644cm-1 for CaB2, CaB3, ZnB2, ZnB3 KB400, and KB700 catalysts respectively. XRF result identified the natural bentonite clay as Ca-bentonite clay with Caoxide having the most dominant component of 76.71%. XRF chemical compositions of the six activated Ca-bentonite clay catalysts when compared to the natural Ca-bentonite clay confirmed successful impregnation. The SEM images of all the prepared catalysts showed that impregnation and calcination changed the surface morphology of the natural clay. Finally, transesterification reactions of refined castor oil samples were done with 3%w/w natural and impregnated Ca-bentonite catalysts, methanol to oil ratio of 6:1, 2 hours reaction time and 65oC reaction temperature. Results obtained showed a descending order of catalyst viscosity reduction ability to be KB700 > CaB3 > CaB2 > ZnB3 >NCB > ZnB2 > KB400. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research was conducted to detect changes in the mechanical properties of samama wood (Anthocephalus macrophyllus) after impregnation with boron, castor bean oil, and heat treatment. Samama wood has low durability so samples were impregnated with boric acid followed by impregnation with castor oil in order to achieve some fixation of the boric acid. After impregnation, heat treatments were applied for four hours at 80°C and 160°C. Results showed that the modulus of elasticity (MOE), modulus of rupture (MOR) and hardness of samama wood generally increased after the treatments. Compared with the control, the maximum differences in MOE and MOR were 19.9% and 26.7%, respectively. Castor oil treatment also increased the density and hydrophobicity of the samama wood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efficacy of castor oil hydrolysis to ricinoleic acid by a Pseudomonas guariconensis lipase immobilized on glutaraldehyde-activated ferromagnetic nanoparticles was investigated. The prepared nanoparticles were characterized using FTIR and DLS and used as a novel biocatalyst for the production of ricinoleic acid. The optimum reaction conditions for the hydrolysis reaction by Fe 3 O 4 -APTES-Glu-lipase were optimized through the response surface methodology (RSM) which resulted in a maximum conversion of 62.5 ± 0.76%. The optimized reaction conditions are the temperature of 40 0C, pH 9, water: oil ratio of 4:1, and biocatalyst concentration of 4% w/w of the oil used. Moreover, the immobilized biocatalyst showed high stability with minimal reduction of hydrolytic efficiency after six consecutive cycles of reuse. [Display omitted] • Immobilized the lipase of Pseudomonas guariconensis on ferromagnetic nanoparticles as novel biocatalyst. • Biocatalytic conversion of castor oil to ricinoleic acid was 62.5 ± 0.76%. • Immobilized lipase showed better temperature and pH stability to free lipase. • The biocatalyst retained 50.8 ± 0.37 % efficiency after six consecutive cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The lubrication performance studies on the blended coolant were carried out with difficult-to-process materials. • This study gives the optimum blended coolant concentration according to different processing conditions. • The effects of different lubricating conditions on surface quality and tool wear were discussed. • The improved TOPSIS algorithm was applied for determining the preferable blended coolant concentration. Minimal quantity lubrication (MQL) has often been adopted to improve the machinability of difficult-to-process materials such as Ti-6Al-4 V. High disposal costs, toxicity, and environmental pollution generally prevent the further application of traditional coolants. Hence, this study aimed to determine the best ratio of castor oil (CO) and ethanol (E) in a new eco-friendly vegetable oil-based coolant fluid, along with the best combination of cutting parameters. The performance of the coolant fluid was evaluated by measuring the surface roughness and flank wear under three different lubricating conditions (dry machining, flood machining, and CO-E blended coolant-based MQL conditions). Under the blended coolant-based MQL conditions, the surface roughness was reduced by 36% and 15% compared with that of dry machining and flood machining, respectively, and the tool wear was reduced by 38% and 53%, respectively. The best parameter combinations are a blended coolant ratio R CO/E = 31% / 69%, cutting velocity v c = 100 m/min, feed f = 0.075 mm, and depth of cut a p = 0.2 mm. This eco-friendly blended coolant fluid can boost the heat exchange capacity and lubrication performance, thereby improving the processing characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • First study reporting discrimination between foundation creams using chemometrics with Raman Spectroscopy data. • Data exploration performed using PCA. • Trained PLS-DA model used to classify the samples and predicting unknowns on different substrates. • 100% of 20 unknown samples on different substrates correctly linked to their source brand. • Use of non-destructive techniques. Determining the origin of cosmetic traces is an important aspect of forensic investigations, that helps linking a suspect to a crime. Such type of evidence can help further narrow down the undergoing investigations. This paper reports the first use of Raman Spectroscopy (RS) coupled with the exploratory principal component analysis (PCA) and supervised partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) in facial creams. 40 facial cream samples of 8 different brands were studied in this work. Preliminary assessments through visual inspection of their Raman spectra revealed the presence of oxides, titanium dioxide, castor seed oil, and beeswax. Also, the peaks of alkyne groups were indicative of the presence of talc or mica compounds. The exploratory PCA correctly segregated the samples into 8 clusters and the supervised PLS-DA model correctly classified them into 8 classes. Further evaluation of the performance of the trained PLS-DA model resulted in perfect classification shown by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. The PLS-DA model also resulted in 100% accuracy of correctly assigning the brand on the face wipes on each of the five substrates viz. cotton, dry and wet tissue paper, nylon substrate, and polyester. This validation was done treating these samples as unknowns. The study has a potential for use under actual forensic casework conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research presents an advanced characterization of Balsa wood waste to evaluate its potential use as raw material for Oriented Strand Board (OSB) panel. For that, chemical, thermal and microstructural characterization of the Balsa wood particles were performed followed by the production and characterization of OSB agglomerated with castor oil polyurethane resin (Pu-Castor oil). The results indicated that the lignin content of the Balsa wood waste was lower than the content found in Pinus spp. wood, used in the industrial production of OSB panels, demonstrating the need for higher resin contents to ensure a perfect agglomeration of the particles. Microstructural analysis indicated that the Balsa wood presented characteristics to be used as a constituent raw material of OSB with Pu-Castor oil. The physical-mechanical characterization indicated that the material can be classified as OSB type 1 in accordance with the EN 300:2006 guidelines and is suitable for application in internal environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of African Journal of Reproductive Health is the property of Women's Health & Action Research Centre and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In the medieval era, the Royal families of Assam, India produced Muga silk fabrics. During the time of the Koch Dynasty (Historical Koch Country), Muga silk from ancient Pragjyotishpur and Koch Behar became an integral part of the trade with Bengal, Bhutan, Tibet, and the Mughals. Most households in Assam weave cloth and every girl child in the household acquires weaving skills at a very young age from her mother. In Sualkuchi, a town in Assam, there are approximately 6,872 female weavers. These weavers are very concerned about the preservation of traditional handloom weaving as they feel that over time the skills required for this could disappear. They feel that they are unable to work as efficiently in their old age as they had in their youth. The automated machine seems to be a sign of hope for them, but at the same time, they have a strong attachment to the traditional handlooms. Quite recently, the traders have started procuring traditional garments manufactured from cloth made by automated machines. This is a threat to the local weavers since these garments are sold at a lower price, and this poses a challenge to the traditional handloom fabrics of Assam. A sustainable model needs to be incorporated to improve the conditions of the local weavers. The introduction of modern techniques and business strategies will help to empower the weavers. Muga is a noninflammable, anti-bacterial, natural, lustrous gold fabric which absorbs UV rays from sunlight. Pat silk is hypoallergenic, and it contains sericin, which reduces allergic reactions in the skin. Eri is antifungal, and this makes it a unique fabric for face masks, baby clothes, undergarments, blankets, quilts, medical uses, mosquito nets or special attire to protect one from UV rays, fungus, bacteria, and insects. The full range of the unique qualities of the fabrics of Assam should be widely publicized to increase the consumer demand for these handlooms. The area also has the potential to make castor oil out of the castor plant (Ricinus Communis Linn), which is a fed to the Eri Silkworm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spent coffee grounds (SCG) and post-consumer PET bottles (PETbot) are major waste materials from the food industry. In this work, their use to obtain electrospun composite nanofibers is explored aiming to develop a new route for their upcycling into high added-value oil-based products. Raising the proportion of PETbot increased the average fiber diameter (from 0.36 to 0.89 μm) and enhanced the tensile properties of the mats. Young's modulus and strain-at-break increased from 5.1 to 32.8 MPa and from 13.8 to 39.4 %, respectively, as the SGC:PETbot weight ratio decreased. Dispersions of the mats in castor oil exhibited shear-thinning and gel-like viscoelastic properties which can be tuned through the SCG:PETbot ratio. Friction coefficient values of resulting oleogels tested in a tribological contact ranged from 0.165 to 0.092. SCG and PETbot can be used to obtain electrospun nanofibers with oil structuring capabilities while resulting oleogels are proposed as environmentally-friendly alternatives to semisolid lubricants. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India is the major producer and exporter of castor oil in the world. Castor semilooper, Achaea janata is one of the main castor crop pests, which causes serious economic loss of crop, hence management and control of the pest are important. Currently, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) based biopesticides are being used for their control. However, the insects are known to develop resistance not only against chemical pesticides but also to Bt based biopesticides. In the present study, de novo transcriptome analysis was conducted to monitor the expression pattern of larval midgut genes in Achaea janata exposed to sublethal dose of Bt formulation. A total of 34,612 and 41,109 transcripts were identified in control and toxin-exposed larval midgut samples out of which 18,836 in control and 21,046 in toxin-exposed samples are annotated. Microarray data analysis employed to monitor the gene expression upon Cry toxin exposure revealed that 375 genes were upregulated and 579 genes were downregulated during all the time points (12–60 h) of toxin exposure. The differentially expressed transcripts include i.e. Cry toxin receptors, gut proteases, arylphorin, REPATs, detoxification enzymes and aquaporins. Validation of microarray data was performed by real-time quantitative PCR using few randomly selected genes and the results obtained were in corroboration. This is the first study on transcriptome data from the castor semilooper and the results would provide valuable resources for the characterization of Bt toxin response in the pest. Unlabelled Image • De novo transcriptome analysis reveals altered gene expression upon Cry toxicity. • RNA-seq data shows 34,612 transcripts in control and 41,109 upon toxin exposure. • Microarray analysis further confirms differential gene expression in larval midgut. • Quantitative alteration in transcripts of Cry receptors, proteases, arylphorin etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Biodiesel is evolving to be one of the most employed biofuels for partial replacement of petroleum based diesel fuel, especially in recent years. The most widely used feedstocks for biodiesel production are vegetable oils. In this work, biodiesel production from castor oil has been synthesized by homogenous alkaline transesterification. The influence of catalyst concentration, methanol:oil molar ratio, reaction temperature and reaction time in the methyl ester content reached by castor oil transesterification have been evaluated. A yield of 95 wt% biodiesel was achieved at 1 wt% KOH, 60 °C, 9:1 methanol:oil ratio and 30 min reaction time. Transesterification at temperature 30 °C gave a yield compatibles with that obtained at 60 °C. The composition of the fatty acid methyl ester was determined by Gas Chromatography. The castor oil biodiesel produced was blended with different concentrations of petrodiesel to obtain B5, B10 and B20. The biodiesel properties and its blends were determined according to the standard test methods of analysis. The results showed that Castor oil biodiesel in the blends could lower the cloud point value, but simultaneously, increases the viscosity of the diesel–biodiesel blends. Thus, castor oil biodiesel with its very low cloud and pour points is suitable for using in extreme winter temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In our work, a low-cost and high-efficiency red mud-based potassium composite (KRM) was successfully synthesized via solid-state method using red mud (RM) and potassium carbonate (K 2 CO 3) as material, and then was applied to produce castor oil biodiesel through transesterification. The preparation conditions of red mud-based potassium composite were optimized. The synthesized catalysts were characterized by X-Ray diffractometer (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Hammett method and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET). The maximum conversion from castor oil to biodiesel (94.52%) was acquired with methanol to oil molar ratio 18:1, catalyst dosage 5 wt%, reaction temperature 65 °C and reaction time 2.5 h. According to the thermo-kinetic results, the castor oil transesterification catalyzed by KRM catalyst was a first-order kinetics reaction and was not an exothermic and spontaneous reaction pathway. Particularly, the characterization results indicated that the brightly textural properties (small particle size, high basicity, high surface area and pore volume) were favorable factors for the high catalytic activity of KRM catalyst. The KRM catalyst showed excellent reusability after four cycles. Besides, turnover frequency (TOF), green parameter of transesterification process and cost analysis demonstrated that the transesterification process catalyzed by the high-efficiency KRM catalyst possessed green reaction pathway and the composite catalyst of KRM could effectively reduce the cost of biodiesel production. • New red mud-based potassium composite catalyst is synthesized successfully. • Transesterification of castor oil catalyzed by the new catalyst is investigated. • The reasons for the excellent catalytic activity of catalyst are provided. • TOF of catalyst and environmental assessment of process are presented. • The production of castor oil biodiesel catalyzed by the new catalyst is green. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reasonably utilize the recyclable waste cardboard (175 million tons every year) had attracted the increasing environmental concern. However, the poor hydrophobicity and the loose porous structure of the cardboard-derived coating materials caused the rapid release of nutrients, thereby limiting the development and application of the bio-derived synthetic polymer coated controlled-release fertilizers (BPCFs). In this work, the hydrophobic-densified double-modified waste-carton-derived controlled-release fertilizers (HDCFs) were developed with nontoxic modifying agent and the simple production technology. The controlled release abilities of HDCFs were significantly enhanced (< 2 h to 120.45 days) and the nutrient release prediction models were established. The enhanced performance was attributed to the improved hydrophobicity and the obviously compact coating structure characterized by the three-dimensional computerized tomography (5.76–1.08 %). Furthermore, the enhanced elasticity (5025.52–1325.68 MPa) of the HDCFs coatings also contributed to improve the controlled-release abilities. The controlled-release mechanism was also clarified: the atmosphere "stopper" in the "smaller and less" micropores in HDCFs coating only allows water vapor molecules (instead of liquid) slowly permeate into the internal urea core and significantly enhance the controlled-release longevities. The dramatically increased oilseed rape yield (71.75 %) showed the efficient application effect of the HDCFs. All the results indicate that HDCF with 90:10 of the proportion of the castor oil and liquefaction polyhydric alcohols from cardboard (LPAC) and 5 % of the siloxane of the total polyols exhibits the best performance effect. This work provides the efficient strategy to foster the end-user confidence in the low-cost and eco-friendly biowaste-derived controlled-release fertilizers. • The waste cardboard was utilized to produce controlled-release coating. • The enhanced performance was obtained with hydrophobic-densified double-modification. • The obviously reduced micropore porosities and improved hydrophobicity was observed. • The atmosphere "stopper" in micropore only allows H 2 O molecules enter internal core. • The improved nitrogen utilization efficiency showed the reliable application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Development of a renewable substitute for petroleum fuels is needed to address the current scenario of the rising fuel crisis affecting transportation, growing concerns regarding environmental pollution as well as exhaustion of natural oil reserves. Keeping this in mind, an experimental investigation was undertaken to synthesize biodiesel from inedible commercial grade castor ( Ricinus communis ) oil. The feedstock was subjected to esterification under the experimental conditions suggested by L16 Taguchi orthogonal approach. Compared to heterogeneous sulfonated carbon catalysis, maximum FFA conversion of 90.83% was obtained with homogeneous acid catalyst under the following optimized conditions: reaction temperature of 50 °C, reaction duration of 1 h, catalyst concentration of 1% w/w, methanol to oil ratio of 20:1 and agitation speed of 700 rpm. Identification of noteworthy parameters were carried out employing Taguchi approach and emerged significant parameters were: molar ratio of oil to methanol, agitation speed, reaction temperature and catalyst concentration with contribution factors of 59.6%, 16.95%, 12.59% and 10.82% respectively. Statistical analysis using ANOVA (analysis of variance) showed that the obtained results are in reasonable agreement with the predicted values. Kinetic studies showed that the esterification follows pseudo-first order kinetics with reaction rate constant of 0.0392 min −1 and activation energy of 8.184 kJ/mol. Fuel characterization results confirmed that the RCME ( Ricinus communis methyl ester) properties are comparable to petro-diesel and within ASTM limits. Hence, the optimization employing L16 Taguchi approach yielded the best parametric conditions for the cost-effective synthesis of biodiesel from castor oil through single step acid esterification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Statement of the Problem: Researchers always seek a new storage medium for avulsed teeth. Castor oil is a vegetable oil with several advantages such as antimicrobial and antioxidant properties, low toxicity, and glutathione preservation capability, low cost, and high availability. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the capacity of castor oil as a new storage medium in preserving the viability of periodontal ligament (PDL) cells compared to Hank's balanced salt solution (HBSS) and milk. Materials and Method: Forty freshly extracted human teeth were divided into 3 experimental and 2 control groups. The experimental teeth were stored dry for 30 min and then immersed for 45 min in one of the following media; castor oil, HBSS, and milk. The positive and negative control groups were exposed to 0 min and 2 h of dry time respectively with no immersion in any storage medium. The teeth were then treated with dispase grade II and collagenase and the number of viable PDL cells were counted. Data were analyzed using Kruskal- Wallis test. Results: The percentage of viable cells treated with castor oil, HBSS and milk counted immediately after removal from these media were 46.93, 51.02 and 55.10 % respectively. The statistical analysis revealed that the value for castor oil was significantly lower than HBSS and milk (p> 0.05). Conclusion: Within the parameters of this study, it appears that castor oil cannot be served as an ideal medium for storage of avulsed tooth. More investigations under in vivo conditions are required to justify the results of this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Icacina senegalensis root bark is traditionally used for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders in Nigeria. To date, no scientific study has substantiated or refuted this claim. Methods: The antidiarrheal and antimicrobial activities of the ethanol root bark extract were investigated in rats and against some selected diarrhea-causing microorganisms. Results: The extract significantly decreased the frequency of castor oil-induced diarrhea, and inhibited the masses and volumes of intestinal fluid accumulation in the castor oil-induced enteropooling method. The distance travelled by the charcoal meal was also decreased by the extract gastrointestinal transit method. The extract also strongly inhibited the growth of some selected microorganisms. Conclusions: The ethanol extract of the I. senegalensis root bark showed antidiarrheal activity, thus justifying its long folkloric use in diarrhea treatment. The extract also demonstrated antimicrobial activity against selected diarrheal causing organisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oil deposited on shoreline substrates has serious adverse effects on the coastal environment and can persist for a long time. In this study, a green and effective microemulsion (ME) derived from vegetable oil was developed as a washing fluid to remove stranded oil from beach sand. The pseudo-ternary phase diagrams of the castor oil/water (without or without NaCl)/Triton X-100/ethanol were constructed to determine ME regions, and they also demonstrated that the phase behaviors of ME systems were almost independent of salinity. ME-A and ME-B exhibited high oil removal performance, low surfactant residues, and economic benefits, which were determined to be the W/O microstructure. Under optimal operation conditions, the oil removal efficiencies for both ME systems were 84.3 % and 86.8 %, respectively. Moreover, the reusability evaluation showed that the ME system still had over 70 % oil removal rates, even though it was used six times, implying its sustainability and reliability. [Display omitted] • Vegetable oil-based microemulsions were developed to remove stranded oil from sand. • The effectiveness of microemulsion systems can be up to 86 % for oil removal. • Microemulsions can easily diffuse and penetrate into the oil film on solid surface. • Microemulsions exhibited long-term stability which is beneficial for application. • The performance of microemulsions in oil removal was satisfactory after reuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green dispersants are so-called "green" because they are renewable (from bio-based sources), non-volatile (from ionic liquids), or are from naturally available solvents (vegetable oils). In this review, the effectiveness of different types of green dispersants, namely, protein isolates and hydrolysates from fish and marine wastes, biosurfactants from bacterial and fungal strains, vegetable-based oils such as soybean lecithin and castor oils, as well as green solvents like ionic liquids are reviewed. The challenges and opportunities offered by these green dispersants are also elucidated. The effectiveness of these dispersants varies widely and depends on oil type, dispersant hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity, and seawater conditions. However, their advantages lie in their relatively low toxicity and desirable physico-chemical properties, which make them potentially ecofriendly and effective dispersants for future oil spill response. • Dispersants from protein hydrolysates, microbial secretions, vegetable oils, and ionic liquids are reviewed. • Green dispersant effectiveness varies from 50 % to 90 %, using different oil types. • Dispersant effectiveness depends on dispersant concentration, water salinity, temperature, and oil properties. • Toxicity tests revealed that green dispersants exhibit low toxicity and desirable physico-chemical properties. • Green dispersants can be combined with traditional dispersants for higher performance and lower cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The leaching of microplastics (MPs) additives and their negative effects on aquatic organisms remain to be systematically elucidated. In this study, the toxicological effects of MPs leachate (micro-sized polyethylene (mPE) and micro-sized polyvinyl chloride (mPVC) acceleratedly leached by UVA for 15, 90, and 180 days in seawater) on microalga Chlorella vulgaris in terms of cell growth inhibition, oxidative stress, and transcriptomes were investigated. The leachate components of MPs aged for 90 days were further identified to elucidate the corresponding toxicity mechanisms of MPs on microalgal cells. The results revealed that both leachates of mPE and mPVC inhibited cell growth and increased oxidative stress in C. vulgaris, accompanied by a growth inhibition rate to microalgal cells of 4.0%–36.2% and 7.1%–48.2%, respectively. At the same mass concentration, the toxicological effects on C. vulgaris followed the order of mPVC leachate > mPE > mPE leachate > mPVC, whereas MPs leaching time indicated no change in MPs leaching toxicity. Furthermore, the gene functions of "translation, ribosomal structure and biogenesis" were mostly affected by MPs leachate. Compared to mPE leachate and pure MPs, the stronger inhibitory effects of mPVC leachate on microalgal cells may be attributed to the fact that more substances were leached from the polymer of mPVC, including Zn, farnesol isomer a, 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol, and acetyl castor oil methyl ester. In summary, this study provides a better understanding of the ecotoxicological influences of MPs and MPs leachate, and offers a warning on the ecological risk caused by plastic additives. [Display omitted] • Microplastics leachate inhibits growth of Chlorella vulgaris. • Concentration of microplastics leachate greatly inhibited microalgal growth. • Additives Zn and 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol were detected in leachate. • Microplastics leachate inhibits microalgal growth at transcriptome level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The plant Begonia roxburghii, widely distributed in North East India, is regularly used as a vegetable and food item in these areas. The plant's roots are traditionally used in treating digestive disorders, diarrhoea, dysentery and various stomach ailments. Therefore, the main objective included scientific justification of the traditional assertions about the edible roots and its marker flavonoids from the plant in the treatment of diarrhoea, followed by deriving its mechanism. HPLC was used to standardize the ethanolic extract of B. roxburghii (EBR) with respective markers luteolin and rutin. The study revealed the similar antibacterial potential of both the markers (luteolin and rutin); however, normal faecal excretion showed the highest antisecretory potential of EBR followed by rutin. EBR at 300 mg/kg, p.o. demonstrated the highest % protection from diarrhoea in both nonpathogenic (castor oil-induced) and pathogenic (enteropathogenic E. coli -induced) diarrhoea rat models, which also restored the altered biochemical parameters, ion concentration and cytokine levels. EBR and rutin also justified their protective nature through histopathology showing less broadening of villus and intact epithelia compared to diarrhoea control rat colons. The in-silico studies validated the contribution of rutin as a major biomarker which enhanced Na+/K+–ATPase activity and stabilized the C-terminal 282-residue fragment of EPEC intimin and was also supported by findings of network pharmacology observations. The present investigation justified the traditional claim of the edible roots of B. roxburghii in treating diarrhoea, where its marker rutin played a significant role in reactivating Na+/K+-ATPase, restored electrolyte balance, and also stabilized the EPEC C-terminal. [Display omitted] • Antidiarrhoeal screening of vegetable root extract of B. roxburghii (EBR) was done. • EBR 300 mg/kg and rutin showed maximum % protection from non-pathogenic diarrhoea. • Rutin followed by EBR were highly effective in curing pathogenic diarrhoea. • EBR and rutin also restored altered ions level and enhanced Na+/K+–ATPase activity. • Rutin from EBR also inhibited C-terminal of enteropathogenic E. coli. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the thermal characteristics of castor oil pyrolysis, the fatty acid composition was firstly analyzed via gas chromatograph (GC). Then, the thermal characteristics was evaluated through the thermogravimetric analysis-derivative thermogravimetry (TGA-DTG) under nitrogen atmosphere at 5, 10, 15, and 20 K min -1 from 298.2 K to 873.2 K. Based on the iso-conversional method, pyrolysis kinetic parameter of the activation energy was calculated by the free model approaches of Kissinger-Akahira-Sunose method (KAS) and Flynn-Wall-Ozawa method (FWO). In addition, the reaction order was calculated through Avrami theory. The average activation energy values were calculated as 202.88 kJ mol -1 and 203.66 kJ mol -1 for KAS method and FWO method, respectively. And the average value of reaction order is 1.02. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To comprehensively investigate the pyrolysis characteristics of castor oil under inert atmosphere, thermogravimetric coupled with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (TG-FTIR) is employed at heating rate of 10 K min -1 from 298.2 K to 873.2 K and the released products during pyrolysis process are detected by FTIR online. According to the results, only one mass loss step is observed from TG and an unimodal structure is exhibited in DTG correspondingly. Meanwhile, the released products for pyrolysis of castor oil mainly include aldehyde, alkane, olefin, ether, CO 2 , and H 2 O. Among the released products, alkane accounts for the predominant one. The maximum absorbance of all released products is observed at 677.8 K and no cyclic compounds as well as aromatic compounds have been detected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study emphasizes the reinforcement of rigid polyurethane foam (RPUF) by the addition of glass fibers (GFs) for diverse engineering applications. In contrast to the conventional RPUF, the foam developed in this case is castor oil based. The developed reinforced foam was tested for its mechanical properties such as hardness, tensile, flexural and compressive strength and for its morphology. Mechanical properties of the resulted reinforced RPUF were found to be improved with addition of the GF content. The foam density was also observed to be increased with the insertion of GF. The SEM results clearly indicated the decreased cell size in the reinforced RPUF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) has attracted as novel type of fatty acids having unusual health-promoting properties such as anticarcinogenic and antiobesitic effects. The present work employed castor oil as substrate for one-pot production of CLA using washed cells ofLactobacillus plantarum(L. plantarum)and lipases as catalysts. Among the screened lipases, the lipaseRhizopus oryzae(ROL) greatly assisted resting cells to produce CLA. Mass spectral analysis of the product showed that two major isomers of CLA were produced in the reaction mixture i.e.cis-9,trans-11 56.55% andtrans-10,cis-12 43.45%. Optimum factors for CLA synthesis were found as substrate concentration (8 mg/mL), pH (6.5), washed cell concentration (12% w/v), and incubation time of 20 h. Hence, the combination of ROL withL. plantarumoffers one pot production of CLA selectively using castor oil as a cost-effective substrate. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: The objective of the study was to evaluate the antidiarrheal and antinociceptive activities of ethanol extract and its chloroform and pet ether fraction of Phrynium imbricatum (Roxb.) leaves in mice. Methods: In the present study, the dried leaves of P. imbricatum were subjected to extraction with ethanol, and then it was fractioned by chloroform and pet ether solvent. Antidiarrheal effects were tested by using castor oil-induced diarrhea, castor oil-induced enteropooling, and gastrointestinal transit test. Antinociceptive activity was evaluated by using the acetic acid-induced writhing test and formalin-induced paw licking test. Results: The standard drug loperamide (5 mg/kg) showed significant (p < 0.001) inhibitory activity against castor oil-induced diarrhea, in which all the examined treatments decreased the frequency of defecation and were found to possess an anti-castor oil-induced enteropooling effect in mice by reducing both weight and volume of intestinal content significantly, and reducing the propulsive movement in castor oil-induced gastrointestinal transit using charcoal meal in mice. The results showed that the ethanol extract of P. imbricatum leaves has significant dose-dependent antinociceptive activity, and among its two different fractions, the pet ether fraction significantly inhibited the abdominal writhing induced by acetic acid and the licking times in formalin test at both phases. Conclusions: These findings suggest that the plant may be a potential source for the development of a new antinociceptive drug and slightly suitable for diarrhea, as it exhibited lower activity. Our observations resemble previously published data on P. imbricatum leaves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of temperature-sensitive polyurethanes (TSPUs) with polytetrahydrofuran glycol (PTMG), poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and maleic anhydride modified castor oil (MCO) as soft segments were prepared in this paper. The morphology of the temperature-sensitive polyurethane films was characterised by SEM, DSC and WAXD. SEM studies were also carried out to investigate the surface structure of coated and uncoated fabrics. The water vapour permeability of the coated and uncoated fabrics were measured as well. The results showed that a nonporous TSPU layer was formed on the coated fabric surface. The tailor-made TSPUs had one to three soft segment crystal melting point temperatures, with the the lower peak temperature Tpm1 belonging to the soft segment PTMG and the higher peak temperature Tpm2 to the hydropilic soft segment PEG2000. The water vapour permeability of TSPUs coated fabrics increased with an increase in PEG2000 concentration and PEG molecular weight, but decreased with an increase in the hard segment content, and triggered around the soft segment crystal melting point temperature of TSPUs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) was produced from castor oil using washed cells of Lactobacillus plantarum PTCC 1058 and Lactobacillus plantarum subsp. plantarum PTCC1745 as the catalyst. Under the optimal reaction conditions, the washed cells of Lactobacillus plantarum PTCC1058 produced 1661.26 mg of CLA/L reaction mixture (36% yield of production) from 4.6 mg/ml of castor oil after using 15% (w/v) cell for 121 h. The resulting CLA was a mixture of two CLA isomers, cis-9, trans-11 (or trans-9, cis-11)-octadecadienoic acid (CLA1, 44% of total CLA) and trans-10, cis-12-octadecadienoic acid (CLA2, 46% of total CLA). The total production of CLA is extracellular in all of the reactions performed with Lactobacillus plantarum PTCC1058. Also, Lactobacillus plantarum PTCC1745 produced 1590.31 mg of CLA/L reaction mixture (16.5% production yield) from 9.6 mg/ml of castor oil after using 15% (w/v) cell for 121 h. Therefore, Lactobacillus plantarum PTCC1058 was suggested for CLA production due to its more production ability and CLA extracellular production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, tribological properties of castor oil have been investigated with and/or without use of additives by using four-ball tester. In the base castor oil, calcium-copper-titanate nanoparticles (CCTO) and zinc dialkyldithiophosphate (ZDDP) were added in different concentrations (i.e., 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, and 1.0 w/v%) to study their individual effect on tribological performance. Tribological test results have shown that there is an improvement in the antiwear, extreme-pressure (EP) properties at 0.25 and 1.0 w/v% for both the additives, respectively. However, in the coefficient of friction (COF) test (incipient seizure load), an optimum concentration of 0.5 w/v% was observed for ZDDP additive, whereas CCTO nanoparticles have shown similar level of performance at all concentrations. The worn-out surfaces were analyzed by using different analytical tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing bio-renewable feedstock for polyurethane (PU) manufacturing and polymer industry as a whole has become highly desirable for both economic and environmental reasons. In this work castor oil (CO) and palm olein (PO) polyols were synthesized and partially used as renewable feedstock for the manufacturing of polyurethane plasticizing resin for printing ink applications. The chemical structure of the prepared polyols and polyurethanes were characterized using IR spectra and GPC and their solubility in common solvents was tested. As well, properties such as flexibility, mechanical properties, optical properties, heat seal and freeze resistance of these prepared printing inks were determined. The results indicated that the prepared printing inks from 50% synthesized polyurethane have high thermal stability, adhesion and excellent freeze resistance. The net technical properties of the new ink formulations are relatively comparable to the printing ink prepared from standard polyurethane plasticizer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The first case of pre-polymerization process without a DBTDL catalyst and ketones to synthesize castor oil-based WPU. • WPU dispersion exhibits excellent shelf-life stability for 6 months. • PTMG/castor oil molar ratio of 1/1 can improve the thermal and mechanical properties significantly. • WPU film and coating reveals high water resistance and chemical stability. Castor oil and polytetramethylene ether glycol (PTMG) are used as polyester and polyether polyols. The waterborne polyurethane (WPU) resin is synthesized from polyether/polyester polyols following a ketone and catalyst-free pre-polymerization process. WPU resins are prepared from PTMG/castor oil with various hydroxyl molar ratios, such as 1/0, 3/1, 1/1, 1/3, and 0/1. The results indicate that the WPU dispersions has a long shelf-life, high colloidal stability, and narrow distribution of molecular size. The addition of castor oil can increase the proportion of the cross-linking density, hard segments and hydrogen bonds of the WPU molecular chain. The addition of PTMG/castor oil increases from the molar ratio 1/0 to 1/1, the tensile strength of WPU film increases from 17.1 MPa to 25.6 MPa; the T 5% increases from 250°C to 262°C; the water swelling ratio at 24 h decreases from 33.2 g/g to 19.4 g/g. The results indicate the using PTMG/castor oil can improve the mechanical strength, water resistance, and thermal stability of WPU film. The WPU could be applied to wood coatings with high properties. This study provides a cleaner process for optimizing the performance of WPU resin, which can replace conventional ketone- and organotin-based films and coatings. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the fuel properties like density, viscosity and calorific value of trans-esterified methyl ester using castor biodiesel and their blends with No. 2 diesel. Empirical correlations are proposed to predict the kinematic viscosity, density, and calorific value for a mixture of castor oil and No. 2 diesel. Kay mixing rule shows a good prediction for the fuel properties under study. Several polynomials are fitted using least square method, and the fitted equations show a good agreement with the experimental data from our study. The developed equations could be used as universal formulas to predict the kinematic viscosity, density, and calorific value for castor oil and No. 2 diesel blend. The equations can be used to optimize the mixing ratio of the castor oil/No. 2 diesel for different applications. Blending of castor oil with No. 2 diesel- in the range of 20% castor oil, will not violate the required specification of diesel engines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]